Nothing Between ...!?! + PRAYER: Lord, Please Help Me To Spurn The Devil ...!

There Is Nothing Between 

My Soul And My Savior!

How Special!

You'd Better Believe It!

All Joking Aside
Have You Really Considered
- I Mean All Of Us -
What Will Happen When Jesus Christ
Finally Steps Away From Being Between Us
And Our Father God!?!

Oh, I Can Answer That One:

All Hell Breaks Loose

Because

There Will No Restraining Force
To Stay Satan's Vile Hand
And Every Evil
Will Be Unleashed Upon Unsuspecting Man!

Fred, If I Were You
I'd Go Real Easy-Like
On The "Unsuspecting-Man"Thing!

I Agree!
Not To Be Harsh, Unfeeling And Unkind
But You Get What You Pay For!

Preach, Brother!

You Can't Call The Savior Of Mankind

The Lord Of Life

The Creator Of The Universe
A Good Man
A Fable
A Bedtime Story
An Irrelevancy
And Believe That When The Chips Are All Down
- Even Cast Aside -
And You're Totally Exposed 

To The Commodity Called Damnation

That You Boldly Purchased
That Mercy

- Honorably, Permanently, Retired
From Calling Men To Salvation
And Having Given Way To Justice -
Is Going To Saddle Up Again!

Ain't Gonna Happen!

It's Harvest Time! 

You Reap What You Sow!
You Gotta Eat What You Grow!

My Grannie Always Talked About
Walking Back Over Bridges You Burnt!

Mad Man, How Can You Walk Over A Burnt Bridge!?!

Very Easily ... In Your Mind
Because
It Ain't Goin' Happen In Reality!

Ahhhh!

The Realm Of Regret
Recrimination
What If
Woulda Shoulda Coulda
Did Not!

Sounds About Right!

The Saints Of God Will Have Be Sealed!
The Minions Of Satan Will Have Be Marked!
The Saints Of God Will Have Jesus' Peace
AndThe Minions Of Satan
Will Have
The Seven Last Plagues
Upon Which To Feast!

The Mere Thought Of That

Is Mind-Bogglingly
Skin-Crawlingly
Stomach-Churningly Awful To Contemplate! 

If That Is The Case

Then You Need To Remember 

Who Paid The Price Of Your Salvation

Who Daily Keeps You Alive

Who Constantly Blesses You Immeasurably

And

Who Will Raise You Up

To Eternal Life!

Indeed, My Brother!

Indeed!

Think On This ...

Lip Service To Almighty God

Is

Disservice To Needy Self

And

It Is Time, Brethren

That We Get Shuck Of Satan's Ways

And Get His Hell-Bound Crew Off

Our Complacency Shelf!

You Mean It Is Time To Bury Our Complacency!

Hear! Hear!

It Is Time To Destroy All That Is Useless!

It Is Time For Us To Stop Playing The Game Clueless!

It Is Time For Us To Give Up Acting Foolish

And

It Is Time For Us To Really Let The Lord Jesus Christ

Truly, Truly, Reign Over And Rule Us!

AMEN!!!!

PRAYER:

Father,

Lead Me

Not Tomorrow

But Today

In All Ways!

Bless Me, I Beseech You

To Walk On The Straight

And

Narrow Way!

Guide Me And Direct Me

Protect Me And Correct

So That In The Great Day

Soon A-dawning

I Shall Have Nothing To Regret!

Help Me To Be Ever Bold

Where The Words Of Truth And Life

Are Concerned

And

Help Me Always, Dear Father

The Devil's Entreaties

To Confidently Spurn!

May The Holy Spirit Indwell

And

The Holy Angels Influence

Even As They Surround

And

Bless Me, Lord, Please Bless Me

To Arrive Safely At Home

And

Walk Forever On Holy Ground!

In Jesus Christ's Name

I Humbly Pray And Plead!

AMEN!

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: Christian Lightweight: The Exercise Class

I Had Gotten Fat By Being Lazy!
I Had Become Lazy
By Being Selfish And Own Way
AND, NOW
Christian Was I
In Name Only
- Not By Nature -
AND
I Wasn't Worth A Hill Of Beans
Nor A Row Of Yams
On The To-Jesus High Way!

My Prayers Were Of The Diet-Light Version!
I'll Give You An Example!
Let's See If You Agree
AND
If These Ideas As Prayers Sound Familiar
You'll Know That You Should At Exercise Class Be Joining Me!

• "Thank You, Lord!"
• "I Love You, Lord!"
• "Thanks For My Food, My Head, And My Bed!"
• "I Am Glad That I Am Not Like Those Other Christians, Lord!"
• "Lord, I Need A ...!"
• Lord, Could You Send Me A ...!"

The Handwriting On The Wall Of My Soul
Was Clear
When It Said:

In Tribulation

You Are Going To Fold!

You Have No Stored Resources!

Your Battle-Muscles In Jesus Christ

Are Flabby And Weak

AND

At The First Sign Of Real Trouble

You Are Going To

Blubber

AND

Fold Up

AND

Against God

AND

His People

Speak!

I Was Seriously Shocked!
I Was Grossly Humiliated!
I Was Damnably Ashamed!
I Was Revoltingly Distressed!

I Really Love My Jesus!
I Really Really Do!
I Thought My Self A Success
But
Seriously?
Has My Life Been All A Christian-like Jest?!

You Know It!!

Lord Jesus, Have Mercy On Me!

I Have Been Indulging

In A Round Of Gross Folly!

Take Me!

Teach Me!

Turn Me To The Right Way!

I Desire Your Leading!

I DO NOT Wish You To Be By Me Betrayed!

NOW ...

That Is A Prayer From Your Heart!

Go One More Step!

Think Jacob - Not Esau

And

Ultimately

All-Out

Wrestle With Your Lord!

Confess Your Sins!

Of Known Sins You Must Repent!

Go Boldly To The Throne Of Grace

AND

Your Gross Heart Rent!

Commune With Your Savior!

Lock Arms Against The Adversary Of Your Soul!

Indulge Yourself In Mortal Conflict

AND

Don't Let Go Of The Master

Until You Get A New Name

AND

The Blessing

As Reward!

Well ... Long Story Short ...

I Found My Self In The Bunny Class!
I Had To Learn All About Exercising Hope:

I Hope!
I Know How Hope Feels!
I Know Hope Somewhat Well!
I Have No Hope!
I Am Hopeless!
I Am Somewhat Hopeful!
AND
I Have Hope!
AND
I Am Hoping!
In That Class
I Learned
What It Means To Wheeze!

My Next Class
The Intermediate Workout
Aka Iron Man -  To The World
But
To The Believing Christian
"Hold To God's Unchanging Hand!"
Brought Me To My Knees!

In That Class
I Really Learned To Pray!
I Went From:

What Faith?
Inherited Faith!?
Faithless!
Mustard Seed Growing!
Faith Almost Full!
Faithful!
Happy Heart Overflowing And Full!

I Had Arrived At
Faith And Works!
That Is No Bull!

I Was Getting Happy!
I Was Singing!
I Even Pulled Off A Happy Dance

WHEN ...

The Drill Sargeant
Life Kicker
Buckled On His
"Life Is A Bastard!"
Weighted
Burden-Carrying Pants!

I Was In Total Shock!
I Couldn't Decide
Whether To Cry
Wheeze
OR
Just Pray

SO ...

I Called On Jesus Christ
The Holy Sacrifice
My Lord And My God
The Payer Of My Fee

My Shepherd And The One Like Whom I Want To Be

AND
I Learned Of
AND
Leaned On The Holy Spirit
Instead Of Inanely Crying:

"Why Me, Lord?! "

Patience?!?

Patience!!

Lord, I Need You!
Wait On Me.

Lord, I Am Weak! Help Me!
Wait On Me, Child.

Lord, I Don't Know What To Do!
I Am Calling, Lord!
I Am Trusting ...
LORD! I TRUST YOU!

Wait On Your Lord!
In Him Is Your Reward!
Wait Meekly And Pray!
Your Lord Won't Cast Your Hope Away!
Wait
Watch And Pray!
His Living Word Obey
And
At The Appointed Time
You Will Have Nothing For Which To Repine!

I Learned Of Patience
Whose Root Says Pay!
I Paid Pay My Dues Daily!
I Pay!
I Don't Play
With
Faith
Hope
Nor Prayer!

I Know That If I'm Not Prayed Up
That I Will Preyed Upon
AND
I Choose
To Wrestle With Jesus
AND
Peniel
Stand Upon!

I Have Patience ... With My Lord
Not Because I Want To
BUT
Because I Must!
I Don't Envy The World's Traffic!
I Don't At Delay Make A Fuss!
I Hope!
I Pray!
I Have Faith
And
In Patience Wait
For
In The Living Loving
Holy
All Seeing
All Knowing
Ever Present
Always Available To The Believing Child
Holy God
I Trust!

Lord, I Want To Be

A Bleeding Heart

Believing Christian

Not A "Christian"

With A Callused Heart

Because

A Hard-hearted Christian

Is One For Whom

Heaven's Light Is Dark!

Looking For And Finding God

I Wanted To Serve God!
My Soul Desired A God To Worship
BUT
I Was In A Quandary!

Where Could I "Find" God?

There Was A Church On The Corner!
There Was A Church In The Middle Of The Block 
On The Corner Of Each Long Short Street
Where All The People Flock!

There Was The Pretty Church
The Proud Church
The Finished Church
AND
The Church - Building Incomplete!
AND
There Was Even The Church
Where You Could Purchase A Velvet Covered Seat!

There Was The Church On Broadway
There Was The Church On The Narrows
There Was The Church Full Of Blessings
AND
There Was The Church Of Bare Laughs!

NOW ...

ALL The Churches
"Had God!"
ALL The Churches 
"Had The Only God!"
AND
ALL The Churches Had
"God -  For Real!"

AND ...

There Was "God Spectacular!"
AND
The "Real God In The Cave!"

I Was In A Pickle!
For 
ALL The Different Churches
ALL Had The Same God Only Different With Specificity a/k/a
"Choose Make Your Own God To Order!"

BY NOW ...

My Pickle Had Pepper Problems!

AFTER SOME SERIOUS THOUGHT ...

I Remembered My Granny Telling Me
When I Was In The Grass Hopper Grade 
- I Was Small -
That:

"Making One's Own God's Idolatry! - Don't Do It!
You Must Worship The Living God!  
You Must Worship The Every Where
Every Day
In Everything
In Who Is Everything
Can't Be Fazed By Your Something
Never Behind On Anything
God 
Who Created You
Who Sustains You
In Whom Is Your Life
Who Will See You Through The Strife
The God In Whom Is Eternal Life
AND NOT
One Who Cavorts
In Pleasure Palaces And Resorts!
God Is Your Friend
BUT
You And God Are Not Company!"

I Could Go On But YOU Get The Drift,  Right?!

The One Thing That Stood Out From Granny's Lecturing Was This:

"God -  Almighty God
The Holy God
Is The God Of Order
The God In Whom There Is No Shadow Of Turning!
His Word Is Who He Is!"

Well ...

That Left Out All The Brand Name Church Gods!

My Granny Had Given Me My King James Bible
When I Reached The Age Of Understanding

So ...

I Prayed 
AND
Daily Read My King James Bible!

After A While ...

Because I Was Sincerely Seeking
The True And Only Holy God
I Received "The Call!"
AND
Accepted A Place 
In The Class Of
"The God Not Popular!"
Who Desires
Self-Denial
Obedience
Confession Of Sin
Repentance
Baptism By Immersion
AND
Standing Up For Jesus!
AND
I Am Happy!

I Walk With The King!
I Walk With The God Eternal!

God ...! + Prayer: Thank You, Lord

God ... Provides! 

I didn't have to Make a Request!

God ... Gives!

I didn't know that I had "The Need!"

God ... Saves! 

I knew that I was Sinking!

God ... Lives! 

I Breathe! I Breathe!

Thank You, Lord, for The Blessing today!

Thank You, Lord, for Hearing as I Pray!

Thank You, Lord, for Making The Way!

Thank You, Lord ... For Your Mercy!

Amen.