VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: Banana: Slip The Split

Some Things In Life Are Easy!
Some Things In Life Are Hard
But
If You Stick To The Living Word
And
The Way Of Jesus Christ The Lord
You Will Never Accept Old Wicked Satan's 

Fancy Calling Card!

You ... Self-Willed

Indulging Waywardness

Wantonness
Loving Things Shiny And New

And
Making Life All About You
Is
The Way Of The Deceiver
The Father Of Lies
Who Has No Qualms About
Basting You In Honey
And
Dumping You In A Hornets' Nest
After Having Rolled You In Red Ants
And
Biting, Biting, Flies!

Satan Will Tempt You To Sin
And
Then To The Heavenly Father Turn You In!
Satan Will Feed You A Goodly Pinch Of Cheap Snuff
And
To Let Every Body Know What You're Doing
He'll Huff And He'll Puff
And
He'll Blow Your House Down
To The Ground
Where You're Rolling In Pain
In Shame
From Playing The Game Of Life
Lived For Self
Where He Held The Marked Deck
And
You ... Being Gullible
Didn't Realize 
Or Willfully Ignored The Fact That
You Were Going To Get Your Neck Bre'k
By A Boss Who Had Polished
The Bottom Of Your New And Costly
Walking The Wrong Way Shoes
And
Caused You To Walk 
On Slippery-Skinned Banana Peels
As He Watches You Do The Dance Of Death
On The Way To Hell And Damnation
The Unrepentant Sinner And Satan's Known Portion!

It Does Not Have To Be This Way!
Jesus Christ Already Paid For All Your Sins
And
He Has Given You Carte Blanche:

Accept My Sacrifice For You!

Take My Hand!

Believe Me!

Trust Me!

Worship Me, And Obey

And
At The Appointed Time

Live With Me Forever

Where There Is No End To Day!

Deny The Liar, Satan
Invite Into Your Life
The Abiding Holy Spirit

And

Willingly

Come Follow After Me!

There Is No Need For You

For Your Own Sin To Have To Pay!
Bless Me With Your Love
And
Willing Service
And
Live With Me
Where The Glory Cannot Fade!

Brethren, 

All Things May Be By Worldly Standards

Legal, Lawful, Acceptable, Profitable

But

That Does Not Mean

- In The Sight Of The Lord -

That They're Good Or Right 

So, Do Your Self a Favor

And

Do Not Under Worldly Wisdom Labor

But

Seek, Instead

To Make Yourself ... To The Living God, Eternal

Something Of A Sweet Savor!

If The Word Of The Living God Says: "No Go!"

With The Worldly Flow, Don't Go!

Don't Go With The Popular

The Convenient

Because

At The End Of The Day

At The End Of Your Life

When Your Probation Is Ended

And

You Then Have To ... At The Resurrection

Face The King Who Gave You Life

The World Will Not Be Present

To Share In Your Reward

Because

The World And Its Adherents

Will Be Facing The Same King

The Same Judge

The Almighty God!

Know The Right ...

You Are A Kingdom Of One

When It Comes To Your Living The Godly

Or The Ungodly Life!

What You Do Determines Where You Go

So, Again

Do Your Self A Favor

And

The Things ... The Shiny, Pretty

Burnable, Can't Carry Them With You, Things

Out Of Your Grabby Hands Let Go!

The Lord Has Promised Us A Forever Home!

He Has Promised Rest And Peace!

He Has Promised Grace And Mercy

And

From Living In Sin

Sweet, Sweet, Relief!

Trust The Lord Who Made You

And

Ignore That One, Satan, Who Shall Surely Betray You!

Jesus Christ

Saves The Willing

And

Truly Repentant Sinner

To The Uttermost!

SIN: Eschew! Eschew!

Self-Willed Sally
And
Own-Way Chase
Were Known To Be Crabby
When In The Presence Of Straight-Laced!

The Problem Was Simple

And
The Reason Profound
Because
Straight-Laced Lived On And Walked Faithfully 

On The Narrow Way
And
Worked On The Path Of Verity
And
Shopped At "It Is Written!"
And
Permitted No One
From The Path Of Truth And Righteousness
To Cause Him To Turn Around!

Battle Lines Were Meticulously Drawn
And
Straight-Laced
- Watching, Waiting
And
Working For His Lord -
Deftly Drew Out And Finely Sharpened
His God-Given Sword!

He Never Raised His Voice

And 
He Had No Need To Curse

Because
He Wielded The Sword Of Truth!

Listen To Him
Hear Him Cut Unruly-Sin Down
To The Vanquished-Today Size:

Many Are They That Trouble Me!
Many Are They That Rise Up Against Me! 

Many Are They That Say Of My Soul 

There Is No Help For Him In God: 

But Thou, Oh, Lord, Art A Shield For Me

My Glory And The Lifter Up Of My Head!

I Waited For The Lord And He Inclined Unto Me 

And Heard My Complaint!

Blessed Is The Man
Who Walks Not In The Counsel Of The Ungodly

Nor Standeth In The Way Of Sinners

Nor Sitteth In The Seat Of The Scornful!

The Lord Is My Rock And My Redeemer!

Trust Ye In The Lord Forever

For In The Lord Jehovah Is Everlasting Strength!

They That Wait Upon The Lord Shall Renew 

Their Strength, They Shall Mount Up With Wings As Eagles!

They Shall Run And Not Be Wary!

They Shall Walk And Not Faint!

The Naysayers Were Many ...

Whenever Selfish-Selena
Jealous-Judy
Licentious-Lynbrook
Doubting-Dorothy
Impious-Ilene
And
Gainsaying-Gareth
Sought To Gall Him
By Calling Him A Gull For
Believing In The Living Word
By Them Considered A Dead Letter
To A Bunch Of Space Cadets
Straight-Laced Did Not Take Offence!

He Took The Only Action
Sure, Always, To Be Effective:

He Sighed!
He Cried Over The Abominations
And
Dear Lord
He Prayed!

He Prayed For Their Help!
He Prayed For Their Health!
He Prayed Against Their Hard-Headedness
Their Hard Heartedness
And
He Prayed For Their Revival
Their Reformation
And
He Pleaded With The Lord 

For Their Conversion To The Cause Of Christ
And
Don't You Know
One Rather Gloomy Day
A Crack Appeared
In The Wall Of Willing Sinners
Known Viciously Arreared Against Him!

Falene-Pharisee
And
Sarcastic-Cyralene
- Known Rabid Haters Of Straight-Laced -
Banged, Banged ... Knocked Real Hard
- In An Urgent Tattoo -
Upon His Open, Always Open, Front Door!

They Didn't Give Him A Chance To Offer Pleasantries!

They Just Said:

Give Us Water!
Feed Us Bread!
Point Us To The Shepherd
Or Very Soon We Shall Be Dead!

We Offer No Explanation!
Know This: We Need The Living Light!
Satan Has Proved Himself A Gross Liar!
His Way Of Life Is Blight!

Straight-Laced Asked No Questions!
He Simply Uttered:

Thank You, Jesus!

It Was His Heartfelt Prayer
And
He Hugged And Invited His Guests
- Expected, Unexpected -
To Sit Down For The Meal! 

He Pointed Them To His Simply-Appointed Dining Room 

And Fittingly Arrayed Table And Beckoning Chairs!

The Plates Were Plain Truth!
The Knives Were Knowledge!
The Spoons Dug Into Salvation!
The Forks Held Fidelity!
The Cups Were Filled With Confidence In Christ!
The Glasses Told The Surpassing Glory Story
And
In Each Linen Napkin, Clean And White
Were The Words Of Truth And Life
The Aching Soul Sure To Delight!

There Was Grace Before The Meal!

Mercy, The Platter

Did Seasoned Vegetables Various Yield
Showing And Telling That
Mercy Covers All
No Matter The Type
The Stripe!
Mercy ... Is For One And All!

And

There Was A Little Brown Bag
To Hold The Vomitus Of Sin Confessed
A Known Necessity
If
One Willed By The Great King
Truly To Be Blessed!

Repentance Was At The Table!
It Was A Turning-U
Black-Black To Charcoal-Grey
Dirty Beige To Bright White:

It Encourages One Not To Be
The Sin-Slave
And
To The Will Of The Eternal God
Willingly To Cave!

Said Straight:

Jesus Christ IS The Way-Maker!
Jesus Christ IS The Bread-Baker!
Satan Is The Liar, The Faker
And Only You Can Decide
To Be The Narrow-Way Taker!

Turn Away From Self And Sin!
Turn To Jesus Christ And Heaven Win!
Bless The Lord And He Will Bless You
When The Way Of Sin
You Boldly Eschew!

That Hour
That Day
Standing In Faith
On Prayer

Having Hope
Those Two Willingly, Joyfully, Joined
The Heaven-Bound Crew!

Jesus Christ Saves!
He Saved Them
And
He Can
He Will
Save Me And You, Too!

Don't Be Complacent!
Fighting Against Sin
Is
A Moment By Moment
Day By Day Battle
Done In The Strength
In The Faith Of Jesus Christ The Righteous

Our Returning-Soon Savior

Redeemer, Lord And God!

Let's Walk With Him In Total Accord!

 

Drinking And Enjoying The Cup ... Of Blessing!

All Who Depart From Sound Doctrine
Will Drink The Bitter Cup
Served
Without The "Honey" Of The Cup Of Blessing
That Is Held To The Lips Of The Obedient Faithful
By The Loving Hand Of Jesus Christ The Lord!

All Who Will Live Godly Lives
Will Suffer Persecution
AND
All Who Will Surrender Their Will
To The Lord Jesus Christ
Will See The Dominion Of Darkness
Vigorously
Committedly
Unremittingly Try
To Make Christ's Followers
The Way Of Truth Deny!

The Child That Walks Under The Banner Of Christ
Will Have
"Do What Thou Wilt!"
As The Panacea Against Doing God's Will
Hailed Before Their Face
BUT

KJV Romans 8 - Faith's Manifesto - Which Says

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Is In The Blessed Cup Of Blessing
AND
Nothing
- Because Of Jesus Christ's Saving Faith
AND
God's Great Grace
AND
Mercy Free -
Will Make The Soul-Surrendered

Willing
Obedient
Serving Child Of God
- Baptised Into Christ's Sufferings - 
Turn Away From Truth
Unto Fabulous Lies
The Known Demonic Device!  

Self And Will

Collide With Faith
AND
Only One Will Stand
So
Choose You This Day
Whom Ye Will Serve
AND
Follow Your Lord's Command!

If The Living God 
IS 
The Eternal God
Serve Almighty God As King!

If Wayward Self And Wandering Will 
IS
Your God
Then Prostrate Before Them
As King Of Everything
Remembering
That You Are Slave
To Whom You Obey
AND
You Get The Perks Of The Kingdom
In Which You Pray And Play!

The Kingdom Of Christ
IS
Truth, Love, Light
AND
Eternal Life!

The Kingdom Of Satan
IS
Deceit, Darkness, Corruption
AND
Damnation!

The Kingdoms Are Two! 
The Destinations Are Two! 
The Leaders Are Two
BUT
Only One Is Everlasting
AND
Eternally True!

The One God Who Is True
IS
Jesus Christ The Lord! 
His Kingdom Is Light
AND
There
There Is No Night!

Thoughtfully Consider That ...

The Pleasures Of The Glorious Kingdom
Are Peace Love Righteousness
AND
Blessings
AND THAT
Almighty God, Himself
Is The Source Of  True Giving
AND 
Immortal Living!

Amazing, It Is
What The Cup Of Blessing Will Do
For
The Soul Of The Saint
Who Practices Obedience
Who Walks As One Holy
Who Does The Lord's Will
Who Permits His Soul
By The Holy Spirit To Be Filled
Who Leans On The Love Of The Eternal God
Who Trusts The Living Word
Who Thirsts For Sure Salvation
Who Turns Away From The Goat Herd
AND
Confidently Walks
With Obedient Sheep
Following The Known Voice Of
The Shepherd Of Rest Who
Takes Them To The Safe Fold Where

The Overcomers Rejoice

In Victory
With Joy
In Gladness
By Grace
Knowing, Yes, Knowing
AND
Beholding

The Lovely Face Of The Redeemer
He, Alone, Who

Shall Stand
At The Head Of The Van
As The Saints Of God
Ingress
Heaven's Table Land
To Live Love And Laugh
Shuck Of The Liar
AND
To Worship Pray
Praise And Sing
To The King Eternal

Forever! 

Heaven

At Any Price

Is Cheap!

**-*-**-*-**-*-**

Hell At Any Price

Has The Cost

That Is

Too Steep!