VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: There Is No Discount For Victory Over Sin And Self!

All Of Us Who Choose To Follow Jesus Christ 
Via The Way Of The Cross
Along The Path Of Enduring Obedience
Living By The Daily Gift Of Daily Faith
Believing 
And 
Trusting The Living Word Every Step Of The To-Zion Journey 
While Wearing The Whole Armor Of God 
Must Understand ... Accept 
And 
Live By This Truth: 
What The Lord God Almighty Gives To You
No One Can Take Away 
And
There Ain't No Discount Given 
For Victory Over Self And Sin! 

Let's Take A Trip Back
So That We Can Go Forward ...

I Went To Purchase Supplies
To Fortify Myself Against Lies!
Everything In The Store Seemed Discounted
And
Trophies In Abundance Were Securely Mounted!

I Did A Quick List-Check To Ascertain My Obvious Costs
And
Realized That I Would Suffer No Loss
Because
The Discount Was Sold As Universal
And
I, Pocket Always To Let, Would Need No Purchase Reversal!
Yeahhh For Discounts!

Believe You Me, I Was Like A Pig In Slop!
I Was As Happy As A Clam!
I Was Primed For The Run!
I Was Pumped Until At The Counter
My Register Went BUMP!!!

In Shock, I Heard The Stentorian Words:

On Victory

There Is Never A Discount!!!

I Pleaded!
I Beseeched!
I Swore Not To Cheat
But
Life Was Adamant:

Victory Is Full Fee!

Victory Is Not Free!

Victory Costs!

Your Win Leaves A Track

So Bring Out The Full Cost

Or

Show Me Your Back!

Life Does Not Owe You Anything!

You Owe Your Life To The Lord!

Here's Wise Wisdom ...

Victory Over Sin 
Is
Going To Cost You Full Price 
So Prepare Yourself To Sweat, Cry 
And 
Bleed 

And 

Be Glad
Because
The Daily Gift Of Daily Peace Cannot Be Taken From You: 
Don't Give It Away!

Cooperate With Christ! 

Beloved, 

Please Do Not Surrender Jesus' Priceless Peace 
- Which Passes Human Understanding -
For A Cheap Peace That Can't Permanently Profit! 

Child Of God,

Remember That Your Victory Over Sin 
And 
Self 
Is 
Already Won: 
Take Your Lashes Like A Saint Of God And Christ
- Justified And Sanctified -
And 
Hold Firm Your Victory ... In Jesus! 

Sanctification Is A Life-Long Process!

Resist The Devil 
And 
He Will Get Tired 
And 
He Will Flee From You! 
Pray The Promises Of God 
And 
Press On To The Peaceful Shore!

Jesus Christ 
Is 
Creator ... Savior ... Redeemer ... Forever-Friend:

Trust Him

And

In The Fullness Of Time
Live The Life That Shall Know No End! 

Time For A Think ...!

You Are A God-Fearing Christian!

Have You Considered
The Difference Between

The Worldly ...
"Things Happen!"AND
The Biblical ...

"All Things Work Together For Good...!?"

Have You Considered
The Difference Between
A Life Consecrated To Christ
AND
The Christless Life Dedicated To Vice?

Have You Considered
The Difference Between
A Heart For God
AND
The Heart That Is Its Own God?

Have You Considered
The Difference Between
The Lord Of Life
AND
The Life Of The Lordly?

Have You Considered
The Difference Between
"Go Ye Into All The World And Preach The Gospel ...!"
AND
"Go Around The World And Eat!?"

Have You Really Considered
- Truly Contemplated -
The Difference Between

• Satan And The Savior
• Truth And Error
• Fact And Fiction
• Angels And Demons

AND

• Faith And Doubt?

Do You Realize Or Recognize

That You Been Touched By Grace
AND
Held In The Arms Of Mercy?

What Do Think About ...

Standing In Truth Versus Dying In Error?

Living To Love
Versus
Loving To Live
Versus
Living For Loving
Versus
Loving Living?

Have You Ever Really Thought On:

God Is Good All The Time!
AND
All The Time God Is Good!?
Do We Even Appreciate What Is Good About God
AND
God's Goodness To A Fallen Race
Now Filled With Beyond Wise Ingrates?

Stop For A Moment
And Think On ...

Come Unto Me All Ye That Labor
And Are Heavy Laden
And I Shall Give You Rest!
... Take My Yoke Upon You
And Learn Of Me
And Ye Shall Find Rest
... Unto Your Souls!

Receive Rest For The Body
AND
Find Rest For The Soul!

How Is It Possible
To Get Rest By Carrying A Yoke?

Have You Thought On The Fact
That Learning Of Christ
The Meek And Lowly One In Heart
Causes One To Find ... Rest?!

Have You Thought
Even For A Mere Moment
On The Statements:

"The Lord Jesus Thinks On Me!"

"I Go To Prepare A Place For You ...

I Will Come Again And Receive You Unto Myself

That Where I Am There Ye May Be Also?!

And ...

What Of:

They That Wait Upon The Lord

Shall Renew Their Strength ...

Mount Up With Wings As Eagles ...

Run And Not Be Weary ... Walk And Not Faint?!
AND
I Waited For The Lord And He Inclined Unto Me?!

No Justice - No Peace
AND
The Peace Of God Passes Understanding
AND
Lean Not To Your Own Understanding?!

Have You Considered
What It Means When Christ Said:

 

AND

When Man Says:

He Who Has The Most Toys Win?!

How Do YouLive In The World
AND
Not Be Of The World
IF
You Are In Christ?!

What Is The Difference Between:

Giving Thanks With A Grateful Heart
AND
Politely Saying: "Thanks!"

Fear God!
AND
Do Not Fear!

How Does One Yield To God?

Can Yielding To God

Be Likened To Yielding The Right Of Way

In A Traffic Situation?

Who Is Driving Your Life?

How Is One A Slave To Whom He Obeys
When Jesus Sets The Captive Free
AND
Says:

Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice! 

AND

Disobedience Is As The Sin Of Witchcraft! 

AND

IF You Love Me
Keep My Commandments?

AND

 

Consider That ...

A Worldly Mind Has Objections 
To Every Statement
Every Saying
Every Commandment Of God
For
Being Given Over To A Carnal Mind
He Has No Insight
Into The Things Of God!

Carnal Things
Are Understood Carnally!
Spiritual Things
Are Discerned Spiritually
FOR
The Proof Of This
Is In The Statement Of God:

Come ... Let Us Reason Together!

Which Statement Is Not An Attribute Of The Fraud!

Satan Is Free
To Freely Lie ... Faithfully!

Jesus Christ
- The Living God -
Is Faithful
AND
Offers Eternal Life Free To All
Freely!

Truth Cannot Be Bent
Be Turned
Be Covered
Or
Be Colored!

Truth Stands Up On Its Own Merits! 

Truth Cannot
- By Man Nor Satan -
Be Lowered!

Truth
May Will
Be Cast Down In The Street
BUT
What Does That Change
When He That Is The Truth
Is High And Lifted Up
Settled
Reigning
ANDEnthroned
In Heaven?

What Does It Profit A Man
To Gain The Whole World
AND YET
Lose His Own Soul
When
For A:

"Lord, Save Me!"

He Can Leave Satan 
AND
His Like
To The Good Offices Of Christ Jesus 
The Eternal God!

Why Do We Trust
The Marked-For-Death Dying
When We Can Trust Wholly On Him
Who Conquered Sin And Death
By
- Of His Own Self -
From Death Arising
AND
Rising Up
Glorified
To Receive The Kingdom's Throne
AND
Not Accept The Words Of Those
Who Can't For Their Own Sins
Hope To Atone?

Why Do We Worry When
We Can Wait On Almighty God?

It Must Be Said ...

I Look Forward To The Day
When I Shall
- In Peace -
See My Lord Christ
When
Touch Me!
Handle Me! 

AND
Let Us Break Bread Together!
Will No Longer Be A Hope
BUT
The Thing Faith-To-Face Nice!

I Look To The Day
When Hope Is Realized
When All Self-Denials
Will Be Proved To Have Been Worth
All Of Life's Trials
When With My Own Eyes
In My Own Perfected, Immortalized, Flesh
I Shall Jesus
Who
- For My Salvation -
Took On Man-Death
To Get Me And My Kind
The Christ-Life
Which Is
The Way Back To The Eternal God
AND
Out Of The Decimating Clutches
Of The Evil One
Who Thought That He Could Kill ... God!
Oh, Foolish, Wicked, Satan.

Brethren, Beloved
We Know Of A Surety

That The Eternal God Is Not Mocked

So ...With Faithful Consideration
- By Contemplation -
Answer The Questions!

Do The Comparisons
AND
Of Your Own Life
- For Your Own Soul's Sake -
Take Stock
AND
Take Your Salvation
- Your Gift -
Free From The Living God
AND
Turn Your Eyes
- Fixedly -
Upon Christ Jesus
Who Paid Dearly
- How Much We Shall Never Know -
To Get You Me Us
Out
From Under
Satan, The Fraud!

Jesus Saves ... To The Uttermost!
Come To Jesus Now
AND
In The Great Day
- That Appointed Time -
Join
AND
Be 
A Forever Part Of 
The Heavenly Host!

It Must Also Be Said ...

IF

The God You Presently Serve

Requires You
- For Him It Her Them -
To Be Eyes, Ears, Mouth, Feet
Sustainer
AND
Provider
It Is Time To Trade Up
To The Living Loving God
Who Does Not Sleep
BUT
Loves To Count
AND
Account For
AND
Care For His Sheep!
He Does Them Safely Keep!
I Am ONE Of Them!
Won't You Join Me?!

Praise God!

Bless God!

Deny The Fraud

AND

Accept

The Righteous Man's Reward!