VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: CHARACTER AND CONDUCT MATTER: What Are You Doing, Christian!?!

Carrying The Name Of Christ

But 

Having No Possession Of His Character!

Calling The Name Of Christ

But 

Discarding His Good Conduct! 

Christians, What Are We Doing!?! 

Inside, Outside, Up And Down

Front Side, Back Side, One Person All Around: 

Are You Whole!?! 

Are You Sound!?! 

Brethren, Beloved, 

Let Us Choose To Live Honorably 

For The Name That We Are Bandying About 

Belongs To Him Who Will Either Be King Or Judge 

For Me And For Thee! 

In The Ways Of The Worldly-Wise

The Use Of A Name Pays In Access, Reach

And 

Grasp For Cash 

But

It Does Not Require The User To Live Right In The Dark 

And 

In The Blinding Light! 

The Name Of The Lord Christ

The Character Of The King

The Conduct Of The Peace-Giver 

Requires Our Humble, Patient

Obedient Cooperating With Him! 

We Must Not Yield To Temptation 

Because 

It Will Be To Sin! 

We Must Not Follow The "Doing-Me" Crowd! 

We Must Walk Softly In Almighty God's Presence

And 

Our Actions ... Doing, Giving, Helping, Healing

Must Not Be Those Of 

The Look-At-Me Loud And Proud Crowd! 

Against The Meek And Gentle Spirit

There Is No Law To Condemn 

But

Remember, Beloved

Misappropriating, Using, And Abusing Another's Name 

Is 

A Jailable Offense In The Court On Earth

And 

Willfully, Wittingly, Wantonly

Misappropriating, Using, And Abusing 

Our Creator God, Dear Savior, Kind King

Loving Lord's Matchless, Holy, Name 

Is

A Damnation-Level Offense 

In The Glorious King's Court In Highest Heaven! 

Name And Nature 

And

Character And Conduct Matter 

And

There Is No Created Being On The Great  Day Of Small Things 

Who Will Be Able The Final Judge To  Flatter!

 

Dare To Live According To The Life Of The One

Whose Father's House Of Many Mansions

You Intend To Have A Custom-Prepared Place Within! 

Dare To Lift Up The Name Of Our Blessed Jesus! 

Peace! 

HAPPY SABBATH + Are You F.O.R?!

The Question Is A Simple Question!

Will You Die IN Sin
AND
Be Lost
Or Will You Die TO Sin
Because
Jesus Christ Died FOR Your Sin
So That You Can
Daily Take Up Your Cross
AND
Follow Him ... HOME
To Hill Zion?!

Brethren,
Today I Sound The Clarion Cry:

Victory ... Over Sin

Under ... The Agency Of The Holy Spirit

In ... The Name Of Christ Jesus

IS

Available

And

IS

Ours

IF

We Will Surrender ... ALL!

We Must Surrender ALL!
All Known Sin
All Bad Habits
All Bad Attitudes
All Grudges
All Hatreds
All Lusts
All False Gods
All Leanings Toward Sin!

Our God
IS
The All Or Nothing God!
He Gave His All ... For You
So
He Will Never Accept
A Little "Something" From You
"To Keep Him Happy!"

Almighty God
By Jesus Christ
Will Never Be Happy With Your Stingy Little Bits!
If You Want Your God To Be Happy With You
Give Him Your ... ALL!
NOW!
TODAY!

Listen To Me!
Do Not Presume Upon God's Mercy
Thinking That You Have Tomorrow!
Thinking That You Will Give Almighty God Your All
On Your Deathbed!

Your Gave The World Of Sin
Plump Grapes
BUT
You Feel Contented To Give God ... Dried Raisins!?!

Do You Know How A Grape Becomes A Raisin?!

No?!?

Well, Let Me Tell You!

A  Plump Juicy Bunch Of Grapes
Is
- With Intent -
Cut From The Life-Giving Source
And Dumped Into An Alkali Bath
To Make The Liquid In The Grapes  Rush To The Skin
So That It Can Dry Out
According To The Heat Of The Elements
Which Will Afflict It!

That Bunch Of Grape Is Left To Dry
To Shrivel Up
To Darken
Turn Brown Even Unto Black
- Depending On The Variety, Of Course -
Until All Its Sugars Crystallize
AND THEN
It Is Boxed
AND
It Is Marked ... For Second Death
AKA
Eating By The Ravenous Horde!

Please Wake Up ...

Tomorrow Is Not Promised To Any Man!
NOW
Is The Acceptable Time!
NOW
Is The Day Of Your Salvation!
Do Not Harden Your Heart Against God
Lest Ye Perish In The Wilderness Of Sin!

Do Not Believe
That Your "Deathbed Confession"
Will The Wrath Of God Appease!
That Is Presumption
AND
Presumption Is A Sin!

There Is Only One Death-Bed Conversion
In The Whole Bible
And It Is The Conversion Of
The Thief On The Cross
Who Saw Jesus
Who Called To Jesus
Who Confessed His Sin To Jesus
Who Honored Jesus Christ As Lord And King
Who Asked For The Blessing Of Christ's Remembrance
AND WHO
- Let The Living Holy Faithful God Be Praised -
Was Accepted Into The Fellowship Of The Father
AND WHO
Will Be Raised Up 
On The Great Getting-Up Morning
To Wing His Way To The Paradise
That Jesus Christ Promised Him
That Therein
With His Lord And Savior
He Will Forever Reside!

Are You
Will You Be
Can You Be
F ruitful
O bedient
R ighteous?!

Let Us Take Up The Position ...

We Will Not Be Wild Grapes
AND
We Will Not Run Off To Be Dried Raisins!

Know This ...

Jesus Christ Is Willing Ready Able
To Graft You Into The Living Stock
To Become A Part Of A Vital Whole
That Will Willingly Bear
Good Fruit
Grade A
AND
Not B
Not C
Not Substandard
BUT
Premium Filled Fruit
Fit For The Table Of
The King Eternal!

I Beseech You, Brethren ...

Apply For The Water Of Life ... TODAY!
Be Filled With The Holy Spirit ... TODAY!
Get Jesus Christ ... TODAY!
AND
Get Home Safe
In The Great Day!

REMEMBER:

Good Grapes Are Table Grapes!
Wild Grapes Get Their Life Crushed Out
AND
As Is To Be Expected
Raisins. Get. Consumed!

Do The Math!

What, Now

Is Your Answer

To The Only One Who Can

Give You New Life?!

HAPPY SABBATH + PRAYER: A Hope To Hold!

Father,
I Truly Love Your Artistry
Displayed In The Amazing
Simply Awesome
Soul-Stirring
Works Of Your Hand!

I Remember
Even As A Child
Gazing Upward
And Seeing A Cloud Drawing
And Becoming Hopelessly
Awestruck And Inspired
And Calling Out To All:

Did You See What I Just Saw!

I Saw Over There An Elephant
Over Yonder A Floppy-Eared Puppy Dog
To My Right A Racing Dragon
Dead Ahead A Shoal Of Fishes Floating
And
Even To My Then Child's Mind
Child-Sized Angels Floating, Floating!
Father!
You Do Thrilling Work
And I Am Blessed!

But, Then, Lord
I Grew Up
And Stopped Looking Up
And Started Looking In
And Gazing Instead
Around And Down
And Became So Obsessively Consumed
With Man's Vain Work
And
Striving For Daily Bread
That I Practically Forgot
That Life Is Not All Work!
I Forgot To Commune!
I Forgot To Stop And Just Breathe!
I Forgot To Sincerely Worship!
I Just Did That With Which I Was Pleased!
Forgive Me!

Life Changed ... Again
And, Then
I Finally Realized That
You Did Not Stop Painting
Drawing Or Coloring!
It Was I Who Stopped Gazing
And
In A Starkly Clear Awareness
A Benevolent Act Of The Will
I Could Again See
And
I Again Started Looking Up To The Sky
Blue 
Grey
Cloudy
Stormy
Starry
Cloudless
And Also Looking 
- Even If Only At Second-Hand Pictures -
And Enjoying Again
The Bounty From The Hand Of The Master
The Creator Of All
The Sustainer Of All
Who
For My Personal Upliftment
Paints Pastoral Scenes
Sea Scapes
Mountain Ranges
Raging Storms
Windswept Plains
Portraits Of
A Child New Born
A Rugged Face Of A Weary Worker
A Gnarled Old Hand
A Warm Embrace
A Dewey Eye
A Racing Tear
A Smiling Face
A Serene Display
Not Every Picture In The Distance
Some ... Up Close
Some Pictures ... A Scent
A Noise
A Touch
A Hope
From Love ... Everlasting
My Blessed Hope
A Hope To Have
To Hold
From This Day Onward
Until I Shall Die
Or
You Shall Come
And, Then
For All Eternity
My Hope Realized
With My Own Eyes ... To Behold!

Thank You, Father!
Your Gift To Me
It Does Not Float
For It Is Anchored
In My Heart ... So Solidly
That I Look Up
And I See The Distant Shore
Just Within Sight
So Far ... Yet So Near!

I Can See The Lightning!
I Can Hear And Feel The Thunder!
I Can Hear The Trumpet!
I Can Hear ... I Can Hear ...!
My Lord ... Is Oh, So, Near ...!
That Which Is Now Distant
Is Coming For Me ... Right Here!

Thank You For The Works Of Heart
For Through Them
I Know That I Have Nothing
From This Life To Fear
Because ... Because
My Father Is Still Sitting Upon His Throne
Sending Me Messages
Holding My Hand
Telling Me Clearly
That He Is Still In Command!

I Love You, Lord!
Please Come Soon!
AMEN.

HAPPY SABBATH: I Believe God!

I Believe The Word Of God!

I Believe I Will Fly

For My Father Said

We Shall Be As Angels

And Angels Have Wings!

I Believe I Shall No More Cry

For My Father Said That

Sorrow And Death Shall Pass Away!

I Believe That I Shall Be In Eternity Enthralled

For My Father Said That

Eye Hath Not Seen

Nor Ear Heard

The Things He Hath Prepared For Me

Because I Give Him My Love!

I Believe I Shall Live Forever

For My Father Said I Shall Live With  Him Where He Is -

There Is No Terminus In Eternity!

I Believe I Shall Be Immortal

For My Father Says That I Shall Be Like Him

And He Cannot Die!

I Believe God!

My God Is My Father!

My Father God Is Not A Man

That He Should To Me Lie!

I Place My Trust In Him
And ... By Faith

I Shall Gain The Blessed Reward

When He Comes For Me

When He Breaks The Eastern Sky!

My Belief Is Rooted

In The Rock Of Truth!

My Faith Is Planted In Him

By Whose Blood

I Shall Gain Eternal Youth!

My Rock Is Jesus!

He Is The Christ
AND

He Is My Hope
My Help And My Healer

My Author
My Finisher

My Light

My Truth
AND

My Life!

I Believe God!

HAPPY SABBATH: The Message In The Grave Clothes

The Savior Was Dead
BUT
The Sheep Had Been Fed
AND
It Is Now The First Day Of The Week!

Mary Has Spoken
To Hearts Not Long Broken
AND
Off
Ran Simon And The Beloved John
To The Tomb ... Unsealed Opened
To See If Mary Has Truth Indeed Spoken!

John Has Run Ahead
At The Entrance He Is ... Stopped Dead
BUT
Peter ... Coming From Behind
Went Inside
To See The Grave Clothes That Had 
Wrapped Their Jesus
Set Aside!

John
Now Grew ... Brave
AND
After Simon
He Entered The Tomb
Grave
AND
Saw The Grave Clothes
Just So Arranged
AND ... At Last
Heart Lifted In Joy
Did Believe
The Words Of His Lord
That He Would Come Again
His Faithful To Himself Receive!

In Those
Carefully Folded Grave Clothes
The Message Delivered
Is The Message Joyously Received
For
The Believer
- By His Dead Living Beloved Master -
Has Not Been Deceived!

Death

Is Swallowed Up

In Jesus Christ's Victory!

Death

Is Finished!

The Lord Of Life 
With Grave Clothes
Is Eternally Finished! 
Death And Grave Clothes
For God's People
Hold No Fear
For Him Who Is Their Master
Is Alive -  That Is Clear! 

Jesus Christ 

Is 

Coming Again!

So, Tell This True Story
To
This World Made Up Of Sinful 
Unbelieving Men!


King Judge Jesus
One And The Other Must Face!
One By The King ... Elevated!
The Other By The Judge - Through Righteous Judgment
In Mortal Disgrace
Eternally From The Presence Of The Great God Displaced!

So ...

Dearest Believer
No Matter What 
The Desperate Deceiver
At You Throws
Please Don't Let Go Of Your Grace
That Jesus Christ's Death Bought 
So That Heaven Can On You
Freely Bestow
Joys Unimaginable ... FOREVERMORE!

Friend!

Are You A Part 

Of 

The Brotherhood

Of

The Message
In
The Carefully Folded Grave Clothes?

HAPPY SABBATH + OPTIONS: Gross Ingratitude! + PRAYER: Father, Grant Me Enough

Think About This:

I don't Have The Extra Cash
To Purchase The Extra Clothing that I Don't Need!
I don't Have The Extra Cash
To Buy that Nice Pair of Shoes
That do My Eyes so Please
And
Because of The Shortfall
In The Extra
I Feel Like
My World is Falling Apart!

Father, Help me,  please!

I Listened to My Self 
Bemoaning My Lack
My Worldly Shortfall and 
Wondered at The Gross Ingratitude
Of Us Children of The Fall!

I Decided to Catalog My Benefits
I Decided to Deal in The Facts
To Seek 
To Know 
All of My Needs Lacking
And Have a Father Child Meeting 
With 
The Lord!

CHECK THIS OUT:

Food - Abundance 
Shelter - Adequate
Clothing - Necessary

Family - Good
Friends - Faithful
Work - Fulfilling

Water - Clean
Bed - Comfortable
Book - The Word True

THERE IS:

Sugar
Lime Juice
Lemon Juice
Butter
Flour
Eggs
Nuts - Various
Dried Fruit
Fresh Fruit
Real Essence
Onions
Peppers
Seasonings
Veggies - Fresh, Canned, Frozen
Potatoes
Meat Mock or Real
Fish Imitation or Scaled
Peppermint
Ginger
Sorrell
And, More ...!

HMMM ...

THIS, THEREFORE, MEANS THAT ...

I can Freely Cook a 

"Whatever I Want to Eat Meal" meal!

I can Freely Bake an

"I Feel Like Cake" cake!

I can Freely Prepare an 

"I Feel Like  Drinking a Hot Cold Beverage" beverage!

And 

I Do Not Have To Beg nor Plead and Pray For Them!

POINT IS:

I've Got Options
One,  Two and Three!
I may Eat and Sleep
At Leisure
Not Sharing My Bed with Woolly Sheep!

I can Buy Myself a Candy
Of My Choosing
Whether I Eat it or Not, and 
If My Nose Starts Running
I have Tissues to wipe away the snot!

I am Not Forced to Contend with The Elements
Savory
Unsavory
Natural or
Man-made, and
I Say My Prayers Whenever I Want to, and 
I'm Not Afraid of Being Sold as a Sex Slave!

I can Fellowship with Whomever I Want to!
I can Call a Brother or a Sister
To Ask For or Say Prayers!
I can Sleep Late
Rise Early
Walk,  Run
Have Fun - if I Feel like it, and 
I don't Need Courage as Found in a Pill or Bottle of Rum!

I've Got Options!
I've Got a Craft!
I Can Make a Warm Gift for Some-Anybody!

I've Got Skill in My Hands
Sight in My Eyes
Ears that Hear
I can Talk
Touch
Feel
See
Because Jesus Created Me
And 
He Saved Me
By 
Dying on The Accursed Tree!

My Options are Open but 
I think I will them Close
And Learn Gratitude to God
IS Good and Even Great, and
Appreciate Appreciate!

Extra Cash would be Great, too
But, Know What?
I'd be a Regulation Fool
If I don't Give God Thanks
For Giving Me
Much, and More!

So ...

Father, 

Thanks!

Thanks!

I Give You Thanks

and 

Look to The Day

When We Will Walk Together 

On The Banks

Of The River

Where

Needing Wanting and Thinking Extra

Have No Bearing Body nor Rank!

Grant Me Enough 

Today

For My Self, and Another

This, Father, I Pray!

Let Me Be Contented

With Whatever I've got

And 

Help Me to Never Ever

Look Back

And 

Lose All

Like The Wife of Lot!

I Love You, Lord!

You Are My All and All!

AMEN.

HAPPY SABBATH + On Up To God!

I was walking on Up to God
I met Man
He called Me: "Friend!!"
He implored Me to walk with him for
He knew of all of Life's Best Short-cuts to Journey's End!

He said he had been on Up to God before and
He beguiled Me
With much lying and lore, and
I was mesmerized
As He told me of what it was I was in for!

I had been warned
But I listened and strayed
My walk on Up to God 
Was delayed. Delayed!

I was regaled with stories of Hate and Love
Needs and Greed
He had a Great Knack
I ate swallowed his prepacked Snack!

I walked on in Myself
I didn't look in
I didn't look back
To see that True Companion
Was trailing ... bloody, and crying!

I - for a while - lived
With Company of Lies
I was motivated by 
The Lord of The Dung Flies!

I lived High
I partied Low
I laid on the Ground
I rolled around in mud and loved in black snow!

My New Friends had No Morals
They smelled of The Flame
I didn't
 ... I didn't care!

I really should have known
That Sweet Life doesn't last
It ends in a casket or 
In a full body cast!

There were Regrets and Recriminations
Vexations
Lost Relations, and
Crying, and much wishing
For the Good that was and is now ... past!

My Day of Reckoning came
My Excuse for Folly? - It was lame!
I lived by My flesh, My eyes
I lived for the Praise of the In-World Game!

As for He Who Led Me To Stray
He was laughing - and pointing - at My Decay
And calling Me Fool
After CONvincing Me that his Way of Life 
Was happening, and way, way, cool!

It was then I saw My True State
I was inside the Pig
Gate
Eating that which made the Scavenger Swine salivate!

I thought of on My Father
Who His Servants fed!
Those Servants had much
For He did Reward
And I said in My Heart:

"I will go back to My Father

As His Servant, today!

I know He will Forgive!

He will help and heal My Decay!"

Loaded Down ... Dirty as I was
I ran toward Home! I couldn't stay away, and
My Father met Me in on The Way!
I cried, and I said:

"Father! Forgive Me!

I strayed, and really played!

I wasted My Substance on with The Fraud

Who cast me aside!

Father! He lied and lied

And I have been burnt!

Heal Me!

Help Me!

To You, My Lord, I return

For, Life Lesson, though hard

I have assuredly learnt!"

My Father washed Me - I was Renewed!
My Father clothed Me - the World I eschewed!
I walk ... NOW
On The True and Holy Way
I live for My Father
He's My Lord - The Light of The Way!

I have #TheRewardsOfTheSaints:

Peace

Love

Joy

Hope

Provision

Help of The Angels

and

Saving by The Blood

The Spirit is My Comfort and My Stay!

What more can I say?!

I shall - in Jesus' Faith - Stay in The Fight!
I shall - with His Blessing - walk Faithfully into The Night
And on The Great Day
Coming very soon
I shall Rise Up - Glorified
To The Heavenly Reward
Way beyond the Big Moon!