VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: Our Position In The Race For Life!

 

I Need To Utter A Deep, Deep, Sigh! 

Siiiighhhh ...

Brethren, Beloved, 

Listen Unto Me! 

We Have A Choice To Make: 

To Be Free To Sin 

Or To Be Free From Sin! 

We Have To Choose Between Friends, Family, Foes And The Fiend 

And 

The Father, The Maker Of Us All! 

Brethren, 

We Need To Get Back To That Time Which Was Before 

Our Inglorious Fall

Before The Silken Ties Of Affection

The Lust Of The Flesh

The Lust Of The Eye

And 

The Pride Of Life 

Dictated Our Walking

Our Speaking

And 

Our Position In The Race For Life! 

Dear Ones, 

Consider And Know This Thing: 

If You Know That Someone Is Digging A Grave For You

Don't, Don't, Do Not Give Them A Shovel Or An Excavator! 

If They Are Seeking To Bury You

Do Not Give Them The Dirt! 

Beloved, 

We Must Stand Up And Be Counted 

As Faithful To The Father 

Against Friends, Family, Foes, And 

The Damned-Forever Fiend 

And

We Should Hold To The Adage Which Says:

 

"Do Not Light Yourself On Fire

To Keep Somebody Else Warm!" 

The Way Of The Cross

The Strait And Narrow Way

The Way To Glory

Is Not 

Perfect Peaches

Perpetual Puppies And Kittens

And 

Unarmed Roses! 

Peaches Have Hidden Rot

Puppies And Kittens Become Elderly Dogs And Cats

And 

Roses Have Thorns And Attract Bees! 

The Point Is That 

Earthly, Earthy, Supposed Comfort Of Your Mind And For Your Body 

Costs You Something Now ... And Then Forever 

But

Heavenly Comfort Costs You The Earth Now 

But Gives You, Pays You, Forever Forever! 

The Choice, Our Choice, Is Clear: 

Jesus For Joy! 

Peace! 

Run Your Race To Enter Christ's Glory Wherein Is Everlasting Life!

In The Competitive World

The Warning Constantly Given 

Is 

"Keep Your Eye On The Prize!" 

In The Spiritual Realm Of The Forever Blessed

We Are Encouraged To 

"Run Your Race To Receive The Crown 

Which Does Not Pass Away!" 

Beloved, 

These Two Statements Speak Volumes 

If

We Are Paying Attention! 

Keep Your Eye On The Prize Suggests That 

If You Even So Much As Blink

What You're Striving For Disappears!

Forever! 

Striving To Receive The Heavenly Prize 

Is 

Absolutely Achievable 

And

That Heavenly Prize Won 

Can Never Be Given To Another Person! 

Think On These Things ... 

Earthly Princes Are Princes Until They're Not! 

Titans Of Sport, Finance, And Entertainment 

Get Dethroned! 

Unholy Priests And Pastors Get Defrocked 

And

All Of This Happens 

Because 

What They Were Holding On To

Looking Greedily Upon

Broadcasting As Their Divine Right

Was Neither Right Nor Divine! 

Unimpeachable Facts ... 

Regular People Strive And Fail! 

Flavors Of The Month Get Canceled!

Rights-Givers Get Offended 

And

Prizes Given Get Rescinded! 

Blessedly, Our Almighty God Does Not Change: 

He Makes No Mistakes! 

If You Fail To "Win" The Great Salvation

None Other Will Gain Your Crown Or Your Land! 

Your Race ... For Eternal Life

Is 

Run Against Yourself Only 

And

Is Won Or Lost By You Alone! 

Brethren, Beloved

Please Do Not Let Sinful-Self 

Turn You Into A Condemned Loser! 

Please Be Very Courageous

And

Choose To Look Up To Christ Jesus 

And

Let Saving Faith Propel You To The Everlasting Prize! 

Peace With The Living God 

Is 

Perfect!

Run Your Daily Race

To Please The Eternal God

Not Fallen, Finite, Mankind!! 

On The Road To Life: The Race

On The Road To Life
In The Way Of Man
Is The Race For Life

Each Person On The Road
Has A License For Living Life
That Can't Be Sold

Each License Has A Liberty Band
To Be Used Or Not To Be Used
It Must Stay On The Man

Each Liberty Band
Has Two Strands
That Show The Growth Of The Man

One Strand On The Liberty Band
Is Standard To All Men
The Other Is ... Well ...

Let's Hear From A Man:

I Started Life Like All Men
With Free Will And Choice
When I Reached The Age
To Decide For Myself
I Activated My License
AND
I Took Off Like A Pop Kite
On The Road Of Life

WARNING:

Know The Differences Between

To Life

For Life

AND

Of Life

I Reached The Cross Road
Where The Race For Life Begins
Fully Cognizant
- Aware -
That The Race For Life
Has Two Clear Endings
AND
I Set Off At A Furious Pace
Willing To Take Off After
To Chase Down
Who Ever Had The Hot Rod
Who Ever Looked Like
They Were Going To Make Goal
Gold

I Was Flying High
AND
On Fuel

I Was Running Low
BUT

I Was Catching ALL That Catch Can
That Is Until The Day
I Made It To King Of The Hill
AND THENOops! A Daisy!
I Took A Spill

A Word Of Caution ...

Sweet Life Is The Life
When You Have All The Answers
When You're Dishing Out The Sweets
BUT
Sweet Life Ain't No Life
When Payback Is A Female Dog
With Swollen And Sore Teats

When I'd Started The Race For Life
My Liberty Band Was Green
I Was Free To Do What I Wanted
BUT
Not As Long As I Wanted

Now That I Am Low On Fuel

In The Valley Of Life Or Death Decision
I Have Time To Think
AND
To Notice What I Had Filled My Liberty Band With

Insight Can Be Sickening ...

I Became Green Around The Gills
AND
Suddenly
I Wanted To Phone ... Home

BUT

Home Is Where The Heart Is
AND
I Was Calling My Self!?!

I Had Neglected The Real
The Truly Rewarding
The Blessed Things Of Life
AND
I Had Filled Up
On Things ...
Fleeting ... Things
Useless ... Things
Earthly ... Things

Unwanted Understanding

Can Be A Bastard ...

I Had Light ... Darkening
I Had Hope ... Disappearing
I Had Truth ... Cast Down
I Had Faith ... Doubting
I Had Love ... Spurned

At Life
I. Was. Losing.

In Shock
I Yelled Out:

How Did I Get Here?!

The Answer Was Instantaneous:

You Do Not Hold The Lord Of Life

In Godly Fear.

I Started To Cry :

Lord, Help Me!
I Don't Want To Die!
I've Been Living A Lie!

I Had Been Warned About
To For And Of ... Life
BUT
I Had Not Taken Heed
AND
Now, Now
Now I Was In A Bind
In A Pickle
AND
The Only God Who Could Help Me
Is The Only God
Who Is Living
Real
Not Fickle

Living Wisdom Did Unfold ...

• GUARD Your Heart
• COVER Your Head
• CLEAN Your Eyes
• UNSTOP Your Ears
• REMOVE The Skates From Your Feet
• DROP The Filthy Lucre From Your Hand
• PURCHASE The Righteous Character From The Son Of Man
• INVITE The Holy Spirit To Take Up Residence Within
• ALLOW The Holy Angels To Protect You By Accepting Their Good Influencing
• WALK In The Light Of Life To Eternal Life
• FOLLOW The Good Shepherd
• HEED The Wondrous Story
• SUBMIT Your Self Under The Mighty Hand Of The God Of Grace
• LEAN On The Everlasting Arm
• Be OBEDIENT Unto ... Death

Accepting The Truth ...

Be Obedient Unto ... Death
Was Ringing In My Ears

For

I Was Close To Dying

I Gave The Lord Of Life 

My Fears
My Sorrows
My Regrets
My Sin

My Repentance
My Life
AND
The Lord Of Life Gave Unto Me
New LIFE For Old

He Took My Copper
AND
He Gave Me Tried Gold

He Took My Scarlet Garment
Liberally Stained With My Wilful Sin
AND
He Gave Me A Linen Garment
White
With A Heaven-Clean Sheen

He Was Not To Me Mean

A Coal
From The Altar Of Sacrifice
Cleansed My Tongue
AND
The Song Of Praise Poured Forth
AND
I Was In The Son

I Was No More Worshiping In The Groves
Sitting Down To Eat
AND
Rising Up To Play ... With The Devil
Known
Working
To Destroy Me

Time Changed
AND
I Am Now Walking
In Measured Pace
Prayerful
Hopeful
Helpful
Heeding
Waiting
Watching
Working
Wiser
Knowing Where My Help Comes From
Knowing That My Life Is In Almighty God's Hands
Knowing That My Heart Is Safe At Home
With Jesus Christ The Lord
My Maker
AND
My King
My New Beginning
AND
Of A Surety
My Blessed End
The One
The Only One
On Whom I Now Depend

PS:
With My Free Will
I Made The Choice
AND
I Gave My Liberty Band
My License For Living Life
My Life
To The Lord Of Life

In His Love
I Rejoice!

PPS:

Scales And Beams

In Sensitive Eyes

Do Not Make For Clear 

- Nor Comforting - 

Vision

PRAYER: Lord, Help Me To Run Life's Race For The Win!

Heavenly Father,

I Come As A Child

A Servant

A Willing Learner

A Follower Dedicated To Christ

A Soul Consecrated To The Eternal God

Indwelt By The Holy Spirit

And

Ever Watched Over

By God-Appointed Angels

And

Beseech You

In The Only Name That Matters

- Jesus Christ My Lord -

To Help Me To Let Go

- Willingly Let Go -

Of Those Things

Which I Cannot Keep

And

To Hold On

To Those Things Given By You

Which - If Enduringly Faithful -

I Cannot Lose!

Help Me, Lord

To Run The Race For Life

So That I May Behold My Jesus In Peace

And

Achieve The Laurel Of Glory

The Garment Of Righteousness

The Glorious Crown

The New Name In Glory

And

The Mansion Of The Blessed!

I Desire The Eternal Rest!

Do For Me, Lord

What Only The Holy God Can Do

Is My Heartfelt Plea!

AMEN.