HAPPY SABBATH + WRESTLING: Winning!

... And I Shall Wrestle With The Lord Christ
Just Like Jacob Did
And When Like Jacob
I'm Asked To Let Go
For The Time Of Worship Is Come
I Shall Not
Until He Shall Bless Me!
I Shall Be The Champi'n!

You Are Right About Being
A Champi'n
For A Champion You Are Not!
Christ Created You!
You Can't Win In A Wrestling Match With ... GOD!

Oooh, I Can Feel 

A Withering Response Coming ...!

You Puny Human!
You're Puny Because Of
Dare I Say It?! 

Yup!

You Lack Working Faith!
You Read The Words
But You Don't Believe
And That Is Why You And I
Cannot See Face To Face!

Salvation Is Free
Free To All Who Believe
BUT ...!

THERE IS NO BUT IN SALVATION!!

Why So Loud, My Brother?!

There Is Indeed
A Big BUT In Salvation
For
Even Though Salvation
Is A Free Gift Of Faith
Faith Is Expressed
BYObedience
ANDObedience Requires Work
So, Therefore
There Is Work For
AND
To Be Done By
All Who Believe!

We All Need
A Faith That Works
BY Love

And, Then
Like Jacob
We Shall Have Power
With God
AND
With Men!

You Can't Prove That!!

Calm Down Or You'll Pop A Vein!
I Can Prove It
AND
I Will Prove It!

Fact:

The Hands That Grab Hold Of Christ
By Christ's Gift To Us Of Faith
- As Expressed In The Plain Promises
In The Word Of Truth -
Cannot Be Made To Release Their Hold
Except By Christ's Incapacitating Force!

Come On!

Faith Is Just A Word!

If You Say So!

Who Did Jacob Wrestle? 

Jesus!

Who Won The Fight?

Jesus!

You Are So Right
BUT

Oh, So Wrong!

Huh?!

You Need To Stop Thinking Physical!

Explain That!
I Dare You!

Jacob ... By Faith
Took A Hold On The Giver Of His Faith
Which He Had Received 20 Years Prior
At His Journey
To What Would Be
His Ultimate
- True -
Salvation!

I'm With You ... So Far!

When Jacob First Left Home
His Man-Brand Was Supplanter!
Usurper!
He Was A Considered A Thief
A Liar
A Deceiver!

Then, He

- By Dream -
Saw Heaven's Gate
With Angels Ascending
Descending!
He Called The Place
- Which He Subsequently Anointed -
Beth-El
Aka The House Of God
AND
There
HE, Jacob
Made A Covenant With The Lord!

Jacob Repented Of His Known Sins
AND
Was By Life
Severely Tested
AND
Cruelly Tried!

BUT ...

On Receiving The Call
To Return To The Promised Land
Before He Could Enter The River Of Baptism
To Enter The Land Of Milk And Honey
The Land Of Rest
- Clean -
He
- In The Midnight Hour
Of All Mankind's Distress -
Had To Fight
With The Supposed Adversary
Approximately ... To The Death!

The Supposed Adversary Of His Body
Turned Out To Be
The Very Real Savior Of His Soul
AND
In Remembrance
AND
In Belief
Jacob ... In Working Faith
Strove To Save His Body
AND
Did, Indeed
Save His Own Soul!

Remember That
His Covenant  With God
Was Made
As He Was Going Away From Home!

I'm Not Yet Convinced!

How Did Jacob Become Known As Israel?!

He Won The Battle
And Jesus Changed His Name
After ...!

After, After, After ... What?!

... After Jesus Injured His Leg
To Force Him To Let His Savior Go!

Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding!
Bingo!!!
We Have A Touch-Down!

God's Covenant 

With Jacob
Was Made On Jacob's Way Back Home

To The Promised Land!

His Name Was Changed
To Israel
Because ...

... Because As A Prince
He Had Power
With God
AND
With Men ... And Prevailed!

  

So ...

Did I Make My Point?!

You Know That You Know That You Did!

Very Good!

A Firm Faith Wrestles With The Lord
AND

Prevails!

Just So You Know
All The Faithful
Must Wrestle With The Lord
BUT ...!

You And These Buts!

... But They Cannot
- Will Not -

Win
In Their Wrestling With Christ
IFThere Is Unconfessed Sin
Aka Unforgiven Sin
In Their Lives!

It Must All Be Placed On The Altar Of Sacrifice!

Jesus Christ
Can Only Save Those Who
Follow All The Directions
That Will Cause Them
Heavens Pearl Gates
- By Right -
To Walk Through!

I Hear You

And I Now Truly Believe!

We Must All Get Fighting Fit

If We Will

In The Great Day

Enter In The Eternal City

And At God's Welcome Table Sit!

Amen, Brother!

AMEN.

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: Christian Lightweight: The Exercise Class

I Had Gotten Fat By Being Lazy!
I Had Become Lazy
By Being Selfish And Own Way
AND, NOW
Christian Was I
In Name Only
- Not By Nature -
AND
I Wasn't Worth A Hill Of Beans
Nor A Row Of Yams
On The To-Jesus High Way!

My Prayers Were Of The Diet-Light Version!
I'll Give You An Example!
Let's See If You Agree
AND
If These Ideas As Prayers Sound Familiar
You'll Know That You Should At Exercise Class Be Joining Me!

• "Thank You, Lord!"
• "I Love You, Lord!"
• "Thanks For My Food, My Head, And My Bed!"
• "I Am Glad That I Am Not Like Those Other Christians, Lord!"
• "Lord, I Need A ...!"
• Lord, Could You Send Me A ...!"

The Handwriting On The Wall Of My Soul
Was Clear
When It Said:

In Tribulation

You Are Going To Fold!

You Have No Stored Resources!

Your Battle-Muscles In Jesus Christ

Are Flabby And Weak

AND

At The First Sign Of Real Trouble

You Are Going To

Blubber

AND

Fold Up

AND

Against God

AND

His People

Speak!

I Was Seriously Shocked!
I Was Grossly Humiliated!
I Was Damnably Ashamed!
I Was Revoltingly Distressed!

I Really Love My Jesus!
I Really Really Do!
I Thought My Self A Success
But
Seriously?
Has My Life Been All A Christian-like Jest?!

You Know It!!

Lord Jesus, Have Mercy On Me!

I Have Been Indulging

In A Round Of Gross Folly!

Take Me!

Teach Me!

Turn Me To The Right Way!

I Desire Your Leading!

I DO NOT Wish You To Be By Me Betrayed!

NOW ...

That Is A Prayer From Your Heart!

Go One More Step!

Think Jacob - Not Esau

And

Ultimately

All-Out

Wrestle With Your Lord!

Confess Your Sins!

Of Known Sins You Must Repent!

Go Boldly To The Throne Of Grace

AND

Your Gross Heart Rent!

Commune With Your Savior!

Lock Arms Against The Adversary Of Your Soul!

Indulge Yourself In Mortal Conflict

AND

Don't Let Go Of The Master

Until You Get A New Name

AND

The Blessing

As Reward!

Well ... Long Story Short ...

I Found My Self In The Bunny Class!
I Had To Learn All About Exercising Hope:

I Hope!
I Know How Hope Feels!
I Know Hope Somewhat Well!
I Have No Hope!
I Am Hopeless!
I Am Somewhat Hopeful!
AND
I Have Hope!
AND
I Am Hoping!
In That Class
I Learned
What It Means To Wheeze!

My Next Class
The Intermediate Workout
Aka Iron Man -  To The World
But
To The Believing Christian
"Hold To God's Unchanging Hand!"
Brought Me To My Knees!

In That Class
I Really Learned To Pray!
I Went From:

What Faith?
Inherited Faith!?
Faithless!
Mustard Seed Growing!
Faith Almost Full!
Faithful!
Happy Heart Overflowing And Full!

I Had Arrived At
Faith And Works!
That Is No Bull!

I Was Getting Happy!
I Was Singing!
I Even Pulled Off A Happy Dance

WHEN ...

The Drill Sargeant
Life Kicker
Buckled On His
"Life Is A Bastard!"
Weighted
Burden-Carrying Pants!

I Was In Total Shock!
I Couldn't Decide
Whether To Cry
Wheeze
OR
Just Pray

SO ...

I Called On Jesus Christ
The Holy Sacrifice
My Lord And My God
The Payer Of My Fee

My Shepherd And The One Like Whom I Want To Be

AND
I Learned Of
AND
Leaned On The Holy Spirit
Instead Of Inanely Crying:

"Why Me, Lord?! "

Patience?!?

Patience!!

Lord, I Need You!
Wait On Me.

Lord, I Am Weak! Help Me!
Wait On Me, Child.

Lord, I Don't Know What To Do!
I Am Calling, Lord!
I Am Trusting ...
LORD! I TRUST YOU!

Wait On Your Lord!
In Him Is Your Reward!
Wait Meekly And Pray!
Your Lord Won't Cast Your Hope Away!
Wait
Watch And Pray!
His Living Word Obey
And
At The Appointed Time
You Will Have Nothing For Which To Repine!

I Learned Of Patience
Whose Root Says Pay!
I Paid Pay My Dues Daily!
I Pay!
I Don't Play
With
Faith
Hope
Nor Prayer!

I Know That If I'm Not Prayed Up
That I Will Preyed Upon
AND
I Choose
To Wrestle With Jesus
AND
Peniel
Stand Upon!

I Have Patience ... With My Lord
Not Because I Want To
BUT
Because I Must!
I Don't Envy The World's Traffic!
I Don't At Delay Make A Fuss!
I Hope!
I Pray!
I Have Faith
And
In Patience Wait
For
In The Living Loving
Holy
All Seeing
All Knowing
Ever Present
Always Available To The Believing Child
Holy God
I Trust!

Lord, I Want To Be

A Bleeding Heart

Believing Christian

Not A "Christian"

With A Callused Heart

Because

A Hard-hearted Christian

Is One For Whom

Heaven's Light Is Dark!