FAITH AND HOPE: Self-Exaltation Versus Self-Examination + PRAYER: Remind Us To Always Pray, Dear Father!

It Came To Pass On A Certain Day 
In The Midst Of The Congregation That

Self-Examination Was Attacked By Self-Exaltation

Who Had Self-Sufficiency

And

Self-Indulgence 

Both Standing Close By

One On The Left Hand And The Other At His Right Hand!

For His Part ... In His Right Hand

Self-Examination Was Gently Holding 
Constant, Heartfelt, Prayer!

It Was An Uneven Match-Up From The Get-Go

And

Know-It-All Self-Exaltation

Did Not Fear ... Nor Neglect

To Tell Self-Examination So!

You Can't Even Think For Yourself!
You Are A Loser!

Look At Those Cheap Shoes On Your Feet! 

You're A Loser Always Having To "The Savior" To Creep! 

Self-Examination

In The Quiet Of His Heart

Said To Himself:

There But For Your Grace, My Lord, I Go! 

Help Me, Dear Father
My-Wise-In-His-Own-Eyes Brother To Reach! 

Please Lay On My Heart Words Of Consideration

So That I Do Not Get Into A Tongue And Teeth Collision
And Send Him Off, Indignant, To The Wily King Fraud! 

To Self-Exaltation
Self-Examination Calmly, Carefully, Deliberately, Said:

Self-Exaltation, 

I'm Sorry That You Feel That Way

But I Creep To My Lord And Savior Boldly 

So That I Do Not Indulge In Own-Sin Self-Pay! 

I Accept The Lord's Checks And Balances

And I Pray Constantly As Protection Against The Known Foe

And I Invite You To Get To Know Him Personally

So That Of Willing Sinning

You Will Choose To Let Go! 

I Was Born A Sinner

But In Sin, I Shall Not Die

Because Jesus Christ My Savior ... For Me, Personally 

On Mount Calvary Did Die! 

We Walk Together Because With Him I Do Agree

And I Choose To Humble Myself Before Him

Instead Of Exalting My Self

And Pretending To The World At Large

That I'm What, Without Him, I Can Never Be! 

I'm A Child, A Student

A Servant And A Saint! 

I've Taken Jesus Christ As My Captain

So That In The Road To Mount Zion

I Shall Not Hunger, Get Lost

Or Under The Buffeting Of The Adversary

Ignominiously Faint!

The Lord Is My Shepherd

My Rock And My Sure Refuge

And By My Following Him Faithfully

Enduringly

I Have Heaven To Gain 

And The Burning Hell To Refuse!

Every One Of Us

Be Ye Self-Exalting

Or Self-Examining

Will Have An Account To Settle

Which Will Clearly Show Our Mettle!

Your Works Will Either Stand And Prosper

Or They Will Fall To The Ground And Perish

And I Tell You Truly

The Reward Of All You Self-Indulgent Ones

Is Not Something That I Would Relish Or Cherish!

I Pray For You With All Sincerity!

I Speak To With Love ... In Christian Charity 

And Beg You, Please

Reform Your Ways Because Before Very Long

We Shall Stand Before The Lord, The King

The Ancient Of Days

Who Knows, Who Sees, Who Feels

And Is In All Things!
We Created Beings ... His Creatures

Cannot Hide From Him

A Single, Solitary Thing!

I Examine Myself

To Know My Every Weakness

And I Repair Unto Him

Who Strengthens Me To Be Like He Is!

I Cannot Be Like You

For I Choose To Be Like

Who Is The Author And Finisher Of My Faith

And The Very One Who Forgives My Sin

And Who Showers Me With Unmerited Favor 

Which Is His Gift Of Moment By Moment

Free Grace!

Remember This, My Misguided Friend 

When You Love The Lord Of Life

You Truly Love Your Self! 

When You Put Your Self 

Before The Lord Of Life 

You Are Your Own God 

And You Earn For Your Own Self

The False God's Reward! 

Worship The Living, Holy, God! 

Humble Your Self

And Stop Being Proud! 

Satan Is Proud! 

Satan Loves Self! 

Satan Is The Father Of Lies! 

Get Him Out Of Your Bosom 

And Get Off Of His Reserved-For-Damnation Shelf! 

Reach For The Extended Hand Of Hope

And Stop Letting Satan Choke You

With Your Own Self-Made Cherished-Sin Rope!

Self-Exaltation Could Not Utter
A Single, Solitary, Note! 

To Strike While The Iron Was Still Hot
Self-Examination Then Said:

 

Self-Exaltation,
Please Take Comfort In The Lord Jesus Christ

The Lord Of Life And Light 
Who Promises Us His Fatness ... His Abundant Blessings 

Both Now And Forevermore! 

To The Gathered Brethren, He Said:
 
Brethren,

What We See With Our Blind Eyes 

Is 

Narrow And Finite 

So Let Us By The Strength Of Faith 

And 

The Courage Of The Blessed Hope

Take Jesus At His Living Word 

So That We Will Enjoy All That Is In 

His River Of Pleasure! 

Trust, Obey, Pray

Give Praise

Do Good

Endure Through The Fight Of Faith

Be Faithful

Learn All Things From The Lord Jesus

And

We Can All Be Sure That We Will Be Gloriously Blessed! 

Eternity Awaits Us!

PRAYER:

Dear Father,

Please Grant Me

The Strength Of Faith

And
The Courage Of Hope!!

Increase Our Love For Our Lord Jesus

And
Bless Us To Be Tied Up

In Salvation

So That The Life's Work
That Is Sanctification
Does Not Become For Us

A Wink And A Nod

Popular Conversational Trope!

Remind Us Always, Father
That Men Should Pray
And
Not Faint
And
Keep Us In Your Holy Care!

Please Bless Us To Continually Hear
The Sweet Spirit Of Truth
And
To Obey The Gospel Call
So That We Shall Indeed Be Blessed
For It Is In Jesus Christ's Holy Name
That We Sincerely Pray And Humbly Plead!
Please Come For Us Soon!
AMEN!

 

HAPPY SABBATH + Gifts From God!

God gave Her a gift
She treasured it well
She dusted and polished it
And put it high on The Shelf.

God gave Him a gift
He treasured it well
He abused it
Misused it
It tripped him up ... and he fell.

God gave Me a gift
I treasured it well
I used it, and returned it
Polished brightly where it was worn
Out from my Mission
And accompanied with Gain
Attached with The Message:

"Dear Father, I thank You!

I accepted The Gift and

I was bold!

It gave me pleasure for sure

But I was generous!

I took my Gift out of doors and

I entertained and educated!

I comforted The Dear Ones, and I sang Praise!

I lifted up Your Name, Father

On the streets and in the glades, and

I told The Old Story even unto

Singing of New Birth and

I fed Little Children

Even though I oft' got cursed!

I thank You!

I bless You!

I treasured The Gift

And I just want to Praise You for

My work was Heaven Kissed!

I spoke to The Wanderer!

I comforted those in Despair!

I Blessed as I was Blessed, and now

Others hold Your Name Dear!

I have One Favor, Father

To ask You today

If I have been found Worthy

Please Multiply my Gift - I Promise I will Take Care."

Your Talent 

is 

Your Gift FROM God!

*****

Using Your Talent for His Service 

is 

Your Gift TO God.

*****

Please Do Not Squander Your Talent!

*****

You Will Be Required 

to give 

Your Statement of Account 

to 

ALMIGHTY GOD

about 

Your Stewardship

on

That Great Day!