PRAYER: In This Quiet Hour ...!

Lord,

I Am Thankful For Your Grace

And

For The Fact 

That You Look Not On My Outward Appearance

And

I Ask You In This Quiet Hour 

To Look Upon My Heart

And

If There Be Any Wickedness

Or Willfulness Or Selfishness

Hiding Within Me

Please, I Beseech You

Cause It From Me To Depart!

Lord,

I Am A Child In Many Ways

And

Often Do Rightly Called Childish Things

But, Lord

I Believe You

And

I Am Willing To Listen 

And

To Be Brought Up

In Your Fear And Admonition

And

I Beseech You

Please Teach Me

Lead Me

Guide Me

So That I May Wise Up

And

From Childish Oft' Foolish Ways

Grow Apart!

Father, 

I Am A Servant Willing

Desiring To Become A Faithful Steward

For My Master And My God

And

I Beseech You

With All That Is Within Me

To Fit Me

And Equip Me

And Send Me Off

According To Your Will

And In Your Way

To Do Your Bidding

For The Eternal Kingdom

Always Faithful And Hopeful

And

Never From The Ways Of Righteousness

Ever To Depart!

Root Me, Lord

Ground Me

And

Raise Me Up

To Be A Polished And Beautiful Pillar

In The Temple Of My God

For

My Heart Trusts The Word

Of The Living God Of The Few Faithful

And

I Desire To See With My Own Eyes

- And In Peace -

The Eternal God

Whose Broken Heart

Gave New Life

To My Brethren And Me!

Father,

Please Help Me To Keep Hope Alive

No Matter What Evil

Against Which I Must Strive

So That In The Fullness Of Time

I May Ascend To Eternal Life!

Please Forgive Me My Trespasses

Against Your Holy Name

As I Confess And Repent 

For

I Love You, Lord

And

Desire In Your Sight To Be Obedient!
Let Your Mercy Continue Freely To Flow!

In The Name Of The Holy Jesus

I Humbly Pray, And Plead!

AMEN.

 

HAPPY SABBATH + WRESTLING: Winning!

... And I Shall Wrestle With The Lord Christ
Just Like Jacob Did
And When Like Jacob
I'm Asked To Let Go
For The Time Of Worship Is Come
I Shall Not
Until He Shall Bless Me!
I Shall Be The Champi'n!

You Are Right About Being
A Champi'n
For A Champion You Are Not!
Christ Created You!
You Can't Win In A Wrestling Match With ... GOD!

Oooh, I Can Feel 

A Withering Response Coming ...!

You Puny Human!
You're Puny Because Of
Dare I Say It?! 

Yup!

You Lack Working Faith!
You Read The Words
But You Don't Believe
And That Is Why You And I
Cannot See Face To Face!

Salvation Is Free
Free To All Who Believe
BUT ...!

THERE IS NO BUT IN SALVATION!!

Why So Loud, My Brother?!

There Is Indeed
A Big BUT In Salvation
For
Even Though Salvation
Is A Free Gift Of Faith
Faith Is Expressed
BYObedience
ANDObedience Requires Work
So, Therefore
There Is Work For
AND
To Be Done By
All Who Believe!

We All Need
A Faith That Works
BY Love

And, Then
Like Jacob
We Shall Have Power
With God
AND
With Men!

You Can't Prove That!!

Calm Down Or You'll Pop A Vein!
I Can Prove It
AND
I Will Prove It!

Fact:

The Hands That Grab Hold Of Christ
By Christ's Gift To Us Of Faith
- As Expressed In The Plain Promises
In The Word Of Truth -
Cannot Be Made To Release Their Hold
Except By Christ's Incapacitating Force!

Come On!

Faith Is Just A Word!

If You Say So!

Who Did Jacob Wrestle? 

Jesus!

Who Won The Fight?

Jesus!

You Are So Right
BUT

Oh, So Wrong!

Huh?!

You Need To Stop Thinking Physical!

Explain That!
I Dare You!

Jacob ... By Faith
Took A Hold On The Giver Of His Faith
Which He Had Received 20 Years Prior
At His Journey
To What Would Be
His Ultimate
- True -
Salvation!

I'm With You ... So Far!

When Jacob First Left Home
His Man-Brand Was Supplanter!
Usurper!
He Was A Considered A Thief
A Liar
A Deceiver!

Then, He

- By Dream -
Saw Heaven's Gate
With Angels Ascending
Descending!
He Called The Place
- Which He Subsequently Anointed -
Beth-El
Aka The House Of God
AND
There
HE, Jacob
Made A Covenant With The Lord!

Jacob Repented Of His Known Sins
AND
Was By Life
Severely Tested
AND
Cruelly Tried!

BUT ...

On Receiving The Call
To Return To The Promised Land
Before He Could Enter The River Of Baptism
To Enter The Land Of Milk And Honey
The Land Of Rest
- Clean -
He
- In The Midnight Hour
Of All Mankind's Distress -
Had To Fight
With The Supposed Adversary
Approximately ... To The Death!

The Supposed Adversary Of His Body
Turned Out To Be
The Very Real Savior Of His Soul
AND
In Remembrance
AND
In Belief
Jacob ... In Working Faith
Strove To Save His Body
AND
Did, Indeed
Save His Own Soul!

Remember That
His Covenant  With God
Was Made
As He Was Going Away From Home!

I'm Not Yet Convinced!

How Did Jacob Become Known As Israel?!

He Won The Battle
And Jesus Changed His Name
After ...!

After, After, After ... What?!

... After Jesus Injured His Leg
To Force Him To Let His Savior Go!

Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding!
Bingo!!!
We Have A Touch-Down!

God's Covenant 

With Jacob
Was Made On Jacob's Way Back Home

To The Promised Land!

His Name Was Changed
To Israel
Because ...

... Because As A Prince
He Had Power
With God
AND
With Men ... And Prevailed!

  

So ...

Did I Make My Point?!

You Know That You Know That You Did!

Very Good!

A Firm Faith Wrestles With The Lord
AND

Prevails!

Just So You Know
All The Faithful
Must Wrestle With The Lord
BUT ...!

You And These Buts!

... But They Cannot
- Will Not -

Win
In Their Wrestling With Christ
IFThere Is Unconfessed Sin
Aka Unforgiven Sin
In Their Lives!

It Must All Be Placed On The Altar Of Sacrifice!

Jesus Christ
Can Only Save Those Who
Follow All The Directions
That Will Cause Them
Heavens Pearl Gates
- By Right -
To Walk Through!

I Hear You

And I Now Truly Believe!

We Must All Get Fighting Fit

If We Will

In The Great Day

Enter In The Eternal City

And At God's Welcome Table Sit!

Amen, Brother!

AMEN.

PRAYER: Father, Seal Us For The Strife!

Lord, 

Have Mercy On Us Who Care!

Have Mercy On Us Who Pray!

Have Mercy On Us

Who Look For The Day

When The Great God Of Glory

The Conquering King

In Splendor And Beauty

In The Eastern Sky

Shall Appear!

Father Most Faithful

In Truth 

I Come Before You

Saying The Name "Jesus!"

For I Am Petitioning You

For Favor

For Blessing

In Love 

And

With Trust

Please, I Beseech

Harken To The Words

Of This Child Of The Dust!

I Am A Mere Mortal

Approaching Unto The God

That Is Consuming Fire

Knowing

That Without Jesus

My Position Would Be My Funeral Pyre

But

Jesus Christ

The Beloved

My Accepted Savior And Lord

With His Innocent Blood

Made Provision For Me

So That I Can To You

Reach Higher And Higher!

I Am Human

A Creature Of Unclean Lips

Unclean Hands

Impure Thoughts

Deceitful Heart

And

I Sin Against You, Father

In Thought

Word

And

Deed

And

Often Behave

As One Who Knows Not

That I Have The Need

To Confess My Sin

To Repent Of Evil Ways

To Plead For Forgiveness

To Walk In Narrow Paths

And

To Abide In Straight Ways!

Father,

I Need Your Green Pasture

I Need Your Oil To Anoint My Poor Head!

I Need The Still Water Of Life!

I Desire The Bounty From You

With Which Only The Faithful Are Fed!

I Desire The Protective Services

Of Angelic Companions

Who Excel In Strength

And

I Desire The Peace

That Passes Human Understanding!

I Desire To Reside In Your Tent!

Father,

My Father

I Do Truly Love You

Even Though There Have Been Times

When I Have Acted

As Though I Do Not Know

Or Own You!

Forgive Me! - I Am Sorry!

I Hang My Head In Great Shame

For I Repent

Were It Possible

In Sack Cloth And Ashes

For The Many Times

I Have Brought To Your Holy Name

Great Shame

For I Did It Profane!

Father,

In This Hour

I Do Not Ask For

Bread

Shelter

Shoes

Or

Clothes

For

With Yesterday's Blessing

I Already Have Those!

My Petition

- By Faith -

Is For Today's Measure Of Increase!

I Need

Faith For My Journey

Grace For My Head

Mercy For My Person

And

To Be Holy Spirit Lead

Even As I Am Comforted

That My Redemption

By Christ's Salvation

Is Just Up Ahead!

Father,

I Covet That One Thing

That Many Men

Many Bright Minds

Totally Discount!

My Heart To You

Is Totally Open!

Fill Me From The Fount

That Fount Of Every Blessing

The Fount That Is The Rock

The Rock That Is My Salvation

For Which Striving

I Am Ever Under Attack!

Father,

I Need The Promised Protection

You Ordain For Those

Who

- By Your Leading -

Will Follow You

And Grow

And

Continue Growing In Grace

And Keep Walking

Going To The Eternal City

At Which Entrance

They'll Have The Right To Enter The Gate

And

Will Never From Your Lips

Hear:

"No, I Know You Not!

Away From Me, Go!"

Lord,

My Heart Is Full - Fill Me!

My Faith Is Strong - Strengthen Me!

My Will Is Yours - Take It!

Sin Has A Hold On My Human Nature - Break It!

Father,

I Accept The Wedding Invitation

And

I Truly Love The Wedding Garment

Which

To Me, You Do Provide!

Help Me To Keep It Spotless

So That In The Great Day

- From Your Majesty -

I Will Not Run To The Rocks And Hills

Beseeching Them

My Vile Personage To Hide!

Lord,

I Am Coming Home

With My Jesus

And

I Am Giving To You My Will

And

My Way

And

I Fully Expect You

To Make Homecoming So!

I Am Determined

- By Your Provided Grace -

To Cooperate With You

So, Please

Help Me To Remember

The Living Word

So That I May Thrash The Evil One

With A

"Thus Saith The Lord!"

And

Chase Him Away

From Outside My Door!

Remember, Lord

The Lost

The Lonely

The Demon-Possessed

The Devil-Oppressed

The Beguiled

The Benighted

Even Those Who Are

Devil-Worshippers

Proudly Foolishly

Coined And Styled!

Remember, Lord

Your Faithful

Your Grace-Filled

Your Fearing, Caring, Few

Some - Even Now - Already

Persecuted

Prosecuted

Tormented

Imprisoned

And

Being Murdered

For You

And Your Holy Word

Immutable

True!

 

Father,

We Believe

We Love

We Trust

We Honor

We Worship You

And

We Obey

And, Lord

Please

In The Name Of The Holy Jesus

Seal Us For The Coming Conflict

And

For Our Sakes

- As You Promised -

Shorten The Day Of Jacob's Trouble

For The Elect's Sake

And

By Your Will

And

In Your Known Way

Hasten, Lord, Hasten

The-King-Is-Coming Day!

Until Then, Lord

Defend!

We Love You

And

We Bless You

And

Ask You With Humility

In Jesus Christ's Name

Our Few Petitions

To Grant

According To Your Pleasure

And

In Your Way!

AMEN.

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: THE LUST FOR POWER: Humble Yourself Before Almighty God!

The Lust For Power
Does Blind The Eyes
Else A Clock Would Never Seek
His Maker To Defy!

The Water Pot Would Never
To The Potter Exclaim:

What Meanest Thou

By This Plain Insult?

Why Hast Thou Dishonored Me 

With This Display 

That Is Nothing To Shout About?

Man
In His Right Mind
Would Not Challenge The Maker God
By Making Three-Parent Babies
By Mixing Human DNA With Dog
By Thinking To Attach A Body To A Strange Head
Or Is It A Head To A Body Quite Dead?

Man's Devil-Inspired Machinations
Make Me Daily To Know
That In Man I Must Not Confide
AND
It Is Causing Me More
To Run To God 
To Hide And There Abide!

To Make My Point
I Shall Use Lucifer-Satan
A Creature Special
BUT
Hand-Made
By Jesus Christ's Own Hands
Who Said To His Creator:

Worship Me!

I'll Give To You

All The Kingdoms Of The World

Populated By People

That You Created

And Cause Daily To Live!

You Are Nothing To Me

Though I Desire Your Worship

'Tis True!

I Will Overlook That!

Just Worship Me

So That I Can Lord It Over You!

Brass Marbles!
Glass Marbles!
Perhaps The Devil Has A Pair
For Only A Nutcase
Would Before His Maker
Such Skanky Drivel Declare!

Beware! 
Beware Brethren!
The Devil Has Extended
His Fishing Hooks
For All Who Would Be
Gods On Earth
By Seeking To Dethrone
The God Of The Good Book!

Grandiose Thoughts
AND
Wicked Actions
Will Not Cause The Overthrow Of God
To Acquire Good Traction
Just Like
Having Fleas Doesn't Make You A Dog
AND
Playing With The Fraud
Can't Make You The Eternal God!

Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself!
Satan Is The Liar
AND
For Him
God Has An Eternal Fire!

Humble Yourself Before God

AND

He Will Lift You Up!

*********

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The Secret Place Of Prayer!