VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: You've Got A Forever Friend!

The Words 

"I Shall Never Leave You Nor Forsake You!" 

Should Be As Manna In The Desert 

To The Ears, To The Heart, Of A Christian! 

Beloved, 

We Should Ever Be Quick To Recall To Mind That 

Our Blessed Jesus Does Not Remove His People From Their Trials 

But 

Is With Them, With Us, No Matter What It Is That We Are Going Through! 

Dear Ones, 

Remember Job, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph

And

Daniel And The Three Hebrew Worthies

And

Remember Your Very Self! 

Remember The Words 

"Yeah, I Will Be With You Always ...!" 

And 

Let Your Heart Be Glad For The Certain Knowledge That 

The God Whom We Serve 

Is Not 

Paper, Plastic, Precious Stone, Stone, Gold, Silver, Bronze, Iron

Nor A Concoction Of The Vile Imaginings Of 

An Unregenerate Heart! 

Got Troubles!?! 

Get Jesus Christ ... Your King! 

Peace! 

HAPPY SABBATH + Bold Affronts To Modernity!

As Committed Christians, Pilgrims

Strangers In A Strange Land

Peculiar People

Square Pegs In Round Holes

And 

Bold Affronts To Modernity

We Are Constantly Under Attack From 

The Enemy Of Souls! 

Are We Not Also Within The Safety Of The Safe Fold

Protected By The Strong Tower

And 

Under The Sheltering Wings Of The Holy God!?! 

Which Is Stronger: 

The Storms Of Satan 

Or

The Shelter Of The Savior!?! 

Which Is More Powerful: 

Satan's Curse 

Or

Our Savior's Blessing!?! 

The Sword Of Sin 

Or

The Shield Of Salvation!?! 

Beloved, 

In Life And At The Judgment 

There Will Only Be Two Types Of People: 

Those For Jesus Christ The King 

And 

Those For Satan The Damned! 

When All Of The Trials 

And 

Torments Of This Short Sojourn Are Over

On The Day Of The Eternal God's Appointing

There Will Be Two Types Of People: 

The Saints Of God And Christ 

Aka The Righteous And Holy Ones 

Who Leaned On The Everlasting Arms 

By Truly Trusting His Living Word Of Truth 

And

The Unrepentant Sinners 

Aka The Unholy And The Filthy Ones 

Who Leaned On Their Own Understanding 

Preferring The Lies Of Satan 

Because 

They Had No Love For The Truth Of Almighty God! 

Dear Ones, 

Let Us Not Be Rebellious! 

Let Us Pray Today To Remain Faithful

Having Endurance

And 

Exercising Wisdom 

To Ever Stand Up For And With Our Lord Jesus! 

We Are Nearing Home! 

Peace!

Incline Your Heart To Jesus Christ Our Lord!

Every True Believer In The Lord Jesus Christ As 

The Word Of God

The Truth That Saves

The Only Way To Get Home To Our Father In Heaven 

And

The Life Of Every Man

Completely Trusts Him 

To Light The Way To The Promised Land! 

Beloved, 

Trusting The Lord 

Is Not 

A Sometime

Maybe Here

Perhaps There Proposition! 

We Are Called To Walk By Unfailing, Unwearied

Unfaltering Faith 

And 

Not Lying Eyesight! 

We Are Not To Permit The Circumstances Of Life 

To Stop Us From Leaning Upon 

And

Solely, Wholly, Trusting Almighty God 

When We Just Want To Lash Out Or Give Up! 

Trials And Temptations Come And Go 

But

The  Word Of God

Jesus Christ The King

Stands Victorious Forever! 

Let Us, Therefore, Remember That 

Goodness, Light, And Truth 

Can Never Be Extinguished! 

Let Us Choose To Be Amongst Those 

Who Will Stand Up For Jesus Christ

Always Speak The Truth In Love

And

Unflinchingly Do Good! 

Truth Spreads Light 

And

Light Shines Out Of Goodness 

And 

Marks The Way Home! 

We Belong To The King Of Love

The Shepherd Of Rest

So Do Not Fear Your Lived Life 

Because 

Our Almighty God Known Faithful

Is 

He Who Has Promised Us His Eternal Life

The Life Which Mortal Life Cannot Touch Or Eclipse! 

Please Choose To Endure ... By Saving Grace

What You Cannot Cure! 

The Best Days Are Just Ahead! 

Brethren, Beloved

Believe, Trust, Honor

Worship, Praise

And 

Faithfully Obey The Lord Christ 

And 

Soon To Highest Heaven 

You Shall Surely Soar! 

No Matter The Matter

No Matter The Pain Or Shame

The Loss Or Supposed Gain

Incline Your Heart To Jesus Christ The Lord 

And 

Not To The Life Of Wickedness

Where The Name Of Almighty God Is Profaned! 

Peace!

Faith Doesn't Depend On Feeling

Trials Come! 

Is Your Faith In Jesus Christ The Lord Fixed Or Fluid!?! 

Is Your Hope In The Lord Like Solid Rock Or Like Quick Sand!?! 

Is Your Love For The Lord Just For The Loaves And Fishes 

Aka The Gifts And Good Times 

Or Is It For The Saving Truth

The Love That Loved You First

The Love That Will Not Let You Go To Hell In A Hand-Basket 

Without First Giving You A Way To Escape Your Self

Your Sin

Your Shame

Your Sorrow 

And

The Satan Aka The Adversary Always On The Attack!?! 

Beloved, 

Are You Able To Say ... Like Job

"Though The Lord Slay Me, Yet Will I Trust Him!?!" 

And 

With Shadrach, Meshach And Abednego 

While Facing Death In Babylon's Fiery Furnace 

"Whether Our God Saves Us Or Not

We Will Trust Him And Not Worship Falsely!?!" 

Many Of Us Who Are Christians 

Erroneously Believe That Saying 

"Jesus, Jesus!" 

Is 

The Key To The Existence Called

"Fair To Fine No Showers Expected!"  

This Does Not Biblically Compute! 

A Comfortable Existence Never Equals Soul Salvation! 

Ask The Citizens Of Sodom And Gomorrah 

If You Can Find Them! 

Let Us Wise Up 

And

Get Up 

And 

Stand Firm In The Faith That Cannot Fail 

And

Confidently 

And 

Enduringly Say Boldly: 

"The Devil Is The Liar: 

By Almighty God's Great Grace

I Will Walk Faithfully With Jesus Christ My Lord!" 

Say It! 

Believe It! 

Live It! 

Your Eternal Peace Depends On It!

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: Trust God And Live!

Unspeakable Gift!
Indissoluble Love!
The Beloved Son Of The Father
Was Sent From Heaven Above
To Rescue The Perishing
And
To Show Almighty God's Great Care Of Those
Who Are Afar Off
And
To Draw Them To Him Near!

Sin Holds Man Captive!
The Love Of The Living God Sets Free
Those Men Who Are Willing To Let Go Of Sin
And
Let The Living God In Their Lives
Be The Almighty!

Jesus Christ
Became A Man
And
Performed A Servant's Work!
He Became A Living Sacrifice
And
He, Himself, Now 

Performs
The High Priest's Work!

Jesus Christ
Shrouded His Divinity In Humanity
In A Bond
That Cannot Broken Be!
He Was Tempted
- Just As All Men Are -
But
Never Sinned
Thus Showing Us That We 

From Sin
Can Forever Be Free!

Jesus Christ

Used No Supernatural Power
To Overcome The Scourge Of The Earth!
He Accepted What His Father Gave Unto Him

Which Is 

The True And Holy Word:

Get Thee Hence, Satan! 

It Is Written ...! 

Worship God! 

Know This ...

Bread For The Belly Is Not Everything!
Everything Is In The Holy Word!

If Man Will Believe That He Has A Creator
Who For His Eternal Prosperity
Has Covenanted

And
Ratified
The Provision Made
He Will Truly Walk
On An Elevated Plane
And
Not Roll In The Dirt
With A Scheming
Lying
Murdering 

Damned-For-Eternity Fake!

Almighty God Is Good!
Dying Satan Is Very Bad!

Sinful Man Alone Is Truly Weak!
Almighty God With Repentant Man
Makes Raging Satan Angry And Really Sad!

Warning ...

Please Do Not Permit
The Simplicity Of Salvation

Espoused In The Gospel Story To Fool You!
Almighty God Sacrificially Loves You!
Dying Satan 

- With Cruel Hatred -

Intensely Hates You!

Understand This ...

By Almighty God

We Are Tested And Tried!

Our Characters Are Perfected In Trial
And
Permitting Satan
To Offer Us The Easy Life
Is 

Setting Us Up
To Absolutely And Explosively Fail
When Comes The Final Strife

And

There Will Be No Hope, Then, Of

Eternal Life!

Fact ...

A Butterfly Is Not Helped
When
By Man's Hand
It Is Released From Its Cocoon
And
A Man Is Not Blessed
By Having A Mile-Long 

Living Room

Dining Room

Bathroom

Bedroom!

Another Fact ...

A Little ... With Contentment
- In The Care Of The True And Living God -
Yields Heavenly Gains

But

A Lot ... With Strife And Contentions
Wearies The Soul
And
Makes The Discontented One 

The Lord's Name Profane!

Warning ...

Don't Live By Eye!
Don't Eat To Be Drunk
And
Don't Wallow In The Cesspit
For
You Will Smell Of The Skunk!

Trust Almighty God Now

And

Live With Almighty God Forever

Later!

Evil Does Evil: Good!

Evil Chose Rebellion
AND
Against The Direct Command Of God

Against God
Stood!

Good Chose Obedience
AND
Adhering To The Direct Command Of God
In God's Approval
Stood!

Evil Believed In His Own Work
His Own Merits!
Good Believed In The Work Of
The Promised Savior
His Redeemer
AND
By Faith
Did The Right!

He Walked Not Be Sight!

Good Did Good
AND
Evil
- Resenting The Good Things
The Right Things
That Good Did -
In Anger Killed Good
For Good Is From God

Is For God

AND
Was In Evil's Side 

A Sharp Cruel

Self-Denying

Hurtful Thorn!

And, So You Have It ...

Good Blood
Through Bad Blood
- By Evil -
Was Killed!
Good Red Blood Was Spilled

BUT

It Was To Evil No Fillip!

God Saw It All!

Good
- Through Evil -
Was The First Human Casualty
Of The Fall
BUT

Actually The Casualty Called Second
For An Innocent Lamb
Representing The Spotless Lamb Of God To Come
Was Laid Out For Sacrifice
Before Active Evil Had Ever Hit 

The Newly Cursed With Work Ground!

Good Was Abel!
Evil Was Cain!

AND
Cain And Abel
Represent
The Two Classes Of People
Who Will Be Alive On Earth
At The Time Of The End
At The End Of Time!

What A Time!

Such A Time!

That Time Will Not Be Peaceful
AND
Assuredly
Not Sublime!

Those Who Choose To Honor God
AND

Do Good
Honoring His Commandments All
Will Be Hated 

AND

Ill-Treated
Even Killed
By Those Who Delight In Doing Evil
Because Doing Good
Sticks In The Craw Of Evil-Doers
Who All Have
The Same Attitude 

As That Of The Millennia-Old And Bold Fraud!
They. Hate. God!

Again ...

Evil Will Offer Good The Opportunity
For Good To Side With Evil
AND
Against God
BUT
Good
- In Refusing To Join Evil
In Evil-Doing For Common Good -
Will Have Evil Done Unto Him

Well ... Just Because!

Please Do Not Think You Are Special
- Though You Are!
Your Savior
Christ Jesus
Was Singled Out First
AND

Since Our Master
Got A Full Bowl Of "The Treatment!"
Let's Accept Our Little Glass
As A Badge Of Honor
AND
Rejoice For The Purchased Salvation Coming
For We, Brethren
Shall Have The Last
AND
The Longest
Belly Laugh!

Please Do Not Let Yourself Be Tempted

By Putting Yourself 

In Temptation's Way!
He Who Tempts You To Sin
Is A Soul Lost
Preferring Red Bean Stew
Over The Feast At The Glorious King's Banqueting
AND
Welcome Home Table
AND
Wants You
To Miss The Celebration
For The Faithful Just And True Few!

A Broke Merchant
Cares Not
Whose Business He Breaks Down
AND
Neither Does Satan
For Those He Joyfully Leads
Into Open Rebellion

Against The Sustainer

The God Of Creation!

So ...

Pray To The Living God
For Free Grace
AND
Firm Faith
AND
Hold On
Enduring All
So As Not To Make Shipwreck
Of Your Portion
Of Our Beloved Christ's For-You Sacrifice
AND
Faith!

Let Your Faith
Be Up Front And Forward!
Let Your Obedience To God Show
That In Adversity's Face
You Are Not The Coward

BUT

A Covered-With-Innocent-Blood True Christian!

March With Faith Forward!

Put Christ In Front Of You
AND
He Will Cover You
Top Bottom
Left Right
Front And Behind
AND
Leave Satan In Faith's Dust
Choking
On His Own Actions
Asinine!

Our Christ Is God Divine!

Jesus Gave His All
For You
For Me!!
Jesus Took Evil's All
So That Returned To The Father
We May Be!

Let Not Evil
Kill Your Hope Tree
AND
In The Glorious Day
Shiloh ... Our Peace
- In Peace -
You Will See!

Let 

"Come Glorious Day!"
Be Our Constant

Heartfelt Prayer!

HAPPY SABBATH + CHOICES: C2G Or C2D

The Weary Pilgrims 

To Glory Go
When The Savior Comes To Reign
For
They Will Have Cast Sin Away
AND
Doffed
Its Beguiling Chains!

Earth For Them 

Would Have Been
A Vale Of Bitter Tears
Where Character Shaped By Sin
Was Reshaped
By The Lord Of Light
As They Battled Against The Devil's Darts
AND
In Jesus' Name
Fought The Good Fight

Never Looking For Earthly Fortune

Fame

Or Vainglorious Acclaim!

Many A Dear Saint
Would Have Perished
For The Faith
But
Their Blood - Good Seed -
Many A Good Tree Raised
And Borne Fruit
- Good Fruit -
Fit 

For The Table Of The Great King
AND
None Will Know
The Magnitude Of The Harvest
Until In The Glorious Kingdom

Will Be Revealed
All And Everything!

Sound The Trumpet
Ye Watchmen Of The Lord!
Give The Battle Cry!
Soon Is Coming
The Great Day Of Reward!

Now Is The Appointed Time
For Man 

To Awake From Sleep!
Now Is Time 

To Make Known
Who Will Be God's Good 

AND

Faithful Sheep!

Teach The Word
In Season Or Not!
Tell The Glad Tidings
Let Not Your Voice Drop!
Tell All Of The Blessing
- The Blessing Of Peace And Rest -
AND

Encourage The Weary
For Now Is Not The Time
For Revelry
Nor The Debauched Carnal Fest!

The King Is Coming
For You!
For Me!
Are We Washing Our Garments?
Are Our Hearts For Eternal Life 

Being Made Ready?

Are We Trusting In The Lord
Enduring The Test

AND

The Hard Trials

As We Wait

- Patiently -

On The Reward?

Are We Resting
In The Truth For All Ages
Or
Are We Fallen Away
Unto Comfortable Fables

AND

Bold Lies?

Are We Permitting Self To Be Beguiled?

Each Heart Must Answer
All
For To Bless
Or To Curse
His Own Soul!
Christ Does Not Condemn Us
For

Our Works
Do Determine
Our Own Soul's Ultimate Goal!

Commendation!

Condemnation!

Glorification!

AND

Damnation!

All Are Choices

That Man MUST Make

Free

Of Coercion

Intimidation

Or Fear

Free As A Bird Of Choice

Free As A Bird At Will

To Catch That upDRAFT

DOWNdraft Of Air

That Will Bear The Soul Aloft

Or

Land Him In The Clear!

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

I Choose

The Lord Jesus Christ!

Will You?!

PERSONAL PUZZLER: Why?

Why Is It
That My God To Me
Looks Nothing Like Your God To You?

Why Is It
That My Faith To Me
Is A Great Failing To You?

Why Is It
That Your Triumph To Me
Is My Trial To You?

Why Is It
That My Rest To Me
Is My Riot To You?

Why Is It
That My Calling To Me
Is Considered A Curse By You?

Why Is It
That My Caring For Criminals Is Christian
But My Caring For Christians Is Criminal Even To You?

Will YOU, Dear Christian
Answer And Tell Me The Answers To
Why?
Why?
And
Why?
For Some Of These Questions
Have Answers For Which
Even Certain Worldlings Are Willing To Die!

Please, Won't You Answer Me Why?

CONFESSION: Through It All ...

God Knows
I Have Been Disobedient
Recalcitrant
AND
Obdurate
AND
He Knows
That I Have Hates
And - Often - Would
If It Were Possible
His Word Of Condemnation For Sin
Obviate!

That's Sinner-Me Talking!

God Knows I Have Pet Peeves
Pet Sins
AND
Petty Ways
AND
God Knows
There Have Been
Numerous Times When
I've Been Too Angry
To Calm Down
AND
Say To Him My Prayers!

That's My Willful Self Talking!

BUT ...

Through It All
Almighty God Knows That I Love Him
Even On The Days When I Go Out
On The Limb
Brittle
Cracking
Over  The Dry Lake
Refusing The Call
To Turn Back
Lest I Fall

AND ...

Even In The Day
When
Tormented By Terrors
By Life's Inadequacies
When The Way Forward
Looks Backward At Me
AND
I - In My Distress -
Repent
AND
Call Out To Him
Knowing Truly
- In My Own Deceitful Heart -
That The God Of Heaven
IS
God
The Only God
The ONLY GOD ... Worth Serving!

This Is This Sinner-Saved - By Grace - Rejoicing!

Thank You, Father

For

Your Blessing On Me!

I Love You!

Prayer to Receive a Mustard Seed Faith

Father, have mercy on me.

With every passing day of my life

I realize more and more that I lack faith.

I talk all the time about how much faith I have in You

And how I know that You will never fail me nor forsake me.

Problem is, Father, it is a very shallow faith because it works

As long as things go how I want them to go. 

Father, I am sorry for this good time faith that I have been practicing 

Whereby I have been looking at my situation, and not at You,

And I ask You, in mercy, to give me enduring faith. 

I am pleading, Lord, for the faith, the mustard seed faith

Of which the Master spoke. I need that faith which

lets me sit, or rest, in quiet and enduring confidence, 

Unshaken at the convulsions taking place around me. 

Help me to forget what tomorrow holds and, instead,

Remember Who holds tomorrow.

Help me to submit my will, and my way, to You and help me 

To accept, without murmur or complaint,

That all my trials are for the perfecting of my character.

Grant me, Lord, faith as big as a mustard seed

So that I can not just say that I have faith,

But that I will be unwavering in my belief that I truly have 

The faith which orders my life, so that my life, and living, will be an

Exemplar of Your faith, and faithfulness, working in me.

I ask this mercy in the matchless name of Christ, the King,

And I thank You for the gift that is today.

AMEN

Oh, For a Faith That Will Not Shrink

by Morgan State University Alumni Choir