It Was A Supremely Beautiful Day!
Whole Heart And Bold Heart
- Brethren In The Faith -
Were In Companionable Silence
Enjoying A Moment's Respite From
The Myriad Challenges That Daily Face Those
Who Choose To Walk Wisely With Jesus Christ The Lord
When The Big Boy Of Brighton
- Weakness Of Self -
Broke Into Their Reverie!
The Interruption Is Anticipated
Expected
And
Dreaded!
Bubbles Are Going To Be Burst!
Pride Is Going To Be Cast Down To The Ground!
Public Sin Is Going To Be Confronted!
Feelings Are Going To Be Hurt!
Tempers Are Going To Flare!
The Word Of The Eternal God
Is
Going To Be Shared
And
The Name Of Almighty God
- For Which He Is Known Jealous -
Is
Going To Be Vindicated
And
It Is Hoped ... By The Lord's Great Grace
That A Sinner ... Repentant
Will Confess Known Sin To The Eternal God
To Be Saved And Forever Blessed!
Weakness Of Self Is Blessed!
His Quiver Is Full!
His Home Is Allegedly, Supposedly, Apparently, Happy!
His Wife Is A Willing Servant In The Service Of The Lord
And
He Is Rich In The Pocket!
He Is Also An Ordained Pastor!
Whole Heart And Bold Heart
Have Importunately Prayed To The Lord Over This Meeting
Because Of, Well, Ahh
The Delicate Nature Of The Subject Matter!
It Started This Way ...
It Was Being Said By Certain Folk That
Weakness Of Self Is A Lay Preacher (Wink, Wink)
When A Letter Arrived In The Church Office
Accusing Weakness Of Self
Of Eating A Box!
Eating A Box Of What!?!
Whole Foods Sells Their Food At The Hot Bar
In A Brown Box!
Big Deal!
He Was Eating Out!
They Thought Nothing More On The Matter
Until A Few Days Later
When The Evidence Appeared!
There ... Sail In The Wind
Was Weakness Of Flesh
In Living Color
In Flagrante Delicto!
The Telephone Rang
And
Whole Heart Nearly Had A Stroke
When It Was Disclosed That
The Evidence Was Also In A National Rag
With Obvious International Reach!
You May Well Imagine The Fall-Out!
Fast Forward ...
Meeting Is In Session
And
Presented With The "Evidence"
Weakness Of Self Decided To Brazen It Out!
Brethren,
Don't Be Bold When You're Wrong!
That's What Got Achan Executed!
Back To The Meeting ...
Letting The Holy Spirit Lead
Whole Heart And Bold Heart
Allowed Weakness Of Flesh
To Wax Poetical
And
As Was His Won't
To Pontificate ... In An Extraordinary Fashion!
They Did Not Interrupt ... At All
And
That Is When Weakness Of Self
Became Exceedingly Uneasy
And
Stopped Moralizing
Stopped Justifying!
Stopped Being Sanctimonious!
He Knew He Was Caught Dead To Rights
And
He Knew He'd Have To 'Fess Up
But
The Scourge Of Every Man
- Pride -
Did A Usual
When Suddenly ... Quietly ... Firmly
Whole Heart Addressed Bold Heart
And
Started Talking About
Joseph, Son Of Jacob-Israel
And
The Potiphar's Whorish Wife!
Weakness Of Flesh Gasped
And
Turned White Like A Sheet!
They Waited To Make Sure That He Was Okay
And
Then They Continued Calmly Talking Together!
Weakness Of Flesh Wanted To Run
But
As He Said Later
He Felt Like He Was Glued To His Seat!
He Also Said That He Knew He Was Done For
When Whole Heart And Bold Heart
Lovingly Quoted
And Then ... With Compassion
Spoke To Him, Thusly:
As People Of The Lord Of Life
Living According To The Holy Word
We Cannot At The Same Time
Be People Of The World:
We Only Live In The World As Pilgrims
Headed Toward The Heavenly Home!
We Are Striving For Christ-Like Characters
Which Cannot Be Acquired
By Being Friends With The World
And
Breaking The Ten Commandments
As That Would Make Us Enemies Of Almighty God!
We Cannot Serve Two Masters
So Let Us Endeavor To Serve God Acceptably
With Holy Trembling And Godly Fear Aka Awe!
The Commandments Are A Hedge Of Protection:
Let Us Stay Behind It
Since It Is Our Soul's Desire
To Be Ever Safe
And
Eternally Blessed!
As Regards Weakness Of Flesh
He Was Broken!
He Was Defrocked
But
He Was Not Discarded
Cast Off
Cast Out!
Seeing The Error Of His Ways
And
Being Convicted Of Sin
And
Convinced Of Righteousness
He Later Stood Up Before The Whole Congregation
Speaking With A Contrite Heart
And
Confessed His Public Sin
Against The Holy God!
He Acknowledged His Pride
His Unholy Passions
And
Accepting That He Knew Better
And
Should Have Done Better
He Spoke Through Tears
Of The Sordid Temptations
Pastors And Preachers Face
From The Wiles Of
Nubile And Voluptuous Women And Girls
In The Congregation
Who Seem Bent On Doing The Devil's Work
From The Church's Pews!
Weakness Of Flesh Did Not Cast Blame!
He Took Responsibility For His Own Actions
And
He Simply Stated The Facts
And Then
He Said The One Thing That Broke The Church:
I'm Glad This Denouement Happened!
The Lord Hasn't Left Me To Destroy My Soul That
He Purchased With His Innocent Blood!
I Am Truly Sorry
For Casting Your Holy Name Down In The Mud
For Giving Satan
Something With Which
To Accuse The Brethren
For Crucifying You Afresh!
For Not Giving Up On Sinful Me!
Thank You For This Second Chance!
After All These Years Of Ministry, Father
I, Now, Truly Understand
The Savior's Words To Apostle Peter:
And When Thou Art Converted
Brethren,
Pray And Plead For Me!
I Love The Lord But I Lived For My Flesh!
I Taught The Word!
I Did Not Live The Word!
I Did Not Eat The Flesh Or Drink The Blood Of Jesus!
I Did Not Consume The Manna Of Heaven
From Which I Would Have Received Life!
I Did Not Take To Heart
The Words Of The Sweet Psalmist Of Israel:
Thy Word Have I Hid In My Heart
That I Might Not Sin Against Thee!
Brethren,
Were The Lord Not A Merciful God
I Would Have Committed That Sin
And Immediately Died
Effectively Closing My Eternal Account With Almighty God
And Consigning My Soul To Everlasting Separation For The Lord!
I Stand Before You A Sinner ... Saved At Last!
Unconfessed Sin Is Sin Unforgiven
But I Am Blessed To Be Here Confessing And Repenting
And Acknowledging My Real Need For Jesus Christ
Our Only Savior!
As I Confess My Known Sin
I Know That He Will Forgive Me
Because He Is Just And He Is Faithful
To Keep All Of His Promises!
Brethren,
Do Not Doubt Almighty God: He Means What He Says!
Do Not Tempt Almighty God: We Are Mortal!
And Do Not Sorrow Over Sin
Because Of The Price That You Must Pay!
Please Express Godly Sorrow Because Sin Is Exceedingly Sinful
And Is An Affront To The Holy God
Who Gave His Best To Save Us At Our Worse!
Please Don't Accept The Pleasures Of Sin ... For The Season!
Seasons Change
But Sin Will Always Be Sinful
Because There Is No Reason
And No Excuse For It!
Please, I Beseech You
Do Not Do As I Did And Use Weakness Of Self
As An Ever-Ready Excuse To Sin
And Don't Use "Overwhelming" Temptation
As The Reason For Sin!
The Lord Makes A Way Of Escape
From Every Temptation That Is Common To Man
So That We Are Able To Stand
And Have Victory Over Sin!
I Sinned Because I Wanted, Desired, To Sin!
King Solomon Was Right: All Is Vanity
And Vanity Vexes The Soul!
Nobody Forced Me To Sin
Because The Lord Has Made Sure That
That Can Never Happen!
We Each Have A Sovereign Will
That Cannot Be Usurped
By Neither Satan Nor The Savior!
My Sin Is My Own
And Before Almighty God
And In Your Presence
I Sincerely Confess That I Am Guilty
And State With Humility That
I Repent Of My Sin
And That By God's Grace
And With Your Loving Help ... I Appeal For It
I Turn Away From Sin And Sinning
And I Will Be Walking ... Wiser
With A Humbled Heart
With Shamefacedness
- Thankfully Not Damned By The Holy God -
Toward New Jerusalem
The Holy City Of God!
Weakness Of Flesh Left The Altar Of God
Singing:
Father, Lead Me Day By Day
Ever In Your Own Sweet Way!
Teach Me To Be Pure And True!
Show Me What I Ought To Do!
Just So You'd Know ...
The National Rag Did Not Publish
That Confession And Repentance Is Good For All Souls
That Amends Are Being Publicly Made
And Best Of All
That There Is Singing Up In Heaven
For The Lost Sheep
Who Is Returned Unto The Safe Fold Of Almighty God
- Who Sees, Feels, Knows And Is in All -
Over The Repentant Sinner
Who Is Finally Come ... HOME!
Humble Yourself
And
Harden Not Your Heart
So That Where There Is Life In You
There Is Hope
For
Your Soul's Salvation!