VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: Obey

All Who Will Submit Their Personal Will 

To The Will Of The Eternal God 
Walk Willingly In All His Ways 
For They Have The Obedient Heart
The Willing Spirit ... Just As The Lord Christ Had
 When He Walked Among Us! 

Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice!
Faith Is Better Than Doubt!
Light Is Better Than Darkness!
Truth Is Better Than Error
And 
Salvation Is Better Than Sin! 

I Hear That!

I Know That For A Fact!

I Can Recall Those Times
When For This Necessary Knowledge
I Seriously Had A Lack!

Understand This ...

Wisdom Tells Us Plainly That
Jesus Christ Saves Only The Repentant 
So Let Not Be Prideful! 
Let Us Be Humble 
And 
Grateful ... For Grace
And 
Let Us Yield To The Holy Spirit's Loving Call!

With Enduring-All Faith
Let Us Lovingly And Humbly Bow Before The Holy One

The Lord Who Is Almighty God And 
Without Exception
Expect To Be Eternally Blessed!

Walking With Jesus Christ Leads To Rare Reward! 
His Glory Awaits! 

Since No One Knows Tomorrow
Or What Each New Day Will Bring
Think Deeply Upon This, Brethren
And
With Faith In Jesus Leading
Let Your Heart For Our Lord Christ Sing:

What A Blessing To The Heart 

To Directly, Positively, Know That Our God

The Creator Of All Things Seen And Unseen
Known And Unknown

Is 

Joyful

And 

Sings Over Us 

Even Though We Caused Him Sorrow And Pain ...!

... And Some Of Us Are Still Doing It!

Just Make Sure That You Are Not Amongst Them!

Indeed!

Imagine, If You Will
The Rejoicing That Takes Place In Heaven
When One Of Us Departs From Sinning 

And 

Walks In The Way Of Grace Unto Christ's Salvation! 

Imagine ... By Working Faith

The Lord's Face 

And 

His Voice Singing With Joy ... Just For You

His Well-Beloved Child

Who Has Chosen To Walk By His Side

And 

Let Yourself Be Guided And Comforted

By This Blessed Knowledge Today And Always! 
I Love You
But
The Lord Jesus Christ Loves You The Very Best!
May His Peace Be Your Rest!

The Acceptable Time: NOW!

Today, Today
I Did What To A Pleasure-Loving Class
Is Truly Radical!
I
- With Sincerity -
Threw Open My Heart's Door
AND
Put All Of My Now Tasteless Furniture
- Old Deads For Sure -
Outside
AND
Invited Almighty God's Holy Spirit
Within It To Abide!

I Had Met Christ Jesus
The Great Architect
AND
I Truly Trusted His Work
AND

The Workman
AND
I Believed I Would Receive
All
That He Told Me I Should Expect!

I Knew I Needed The Great Designer ... In Residence

For
His Skill Is Impeccable!
His Taste Phenomenal! 

AND
His Grace Unstoppable!

I Had Put Out
A Sofa Called Pride
A Lounge Chair Called Envy
A Recliner Called Lust
AND
A Break-Front Called Sin-Spendy!

I Put Out A Bed Of Base Manners
A Bureau Full Of Lies And Deceits
A Tall-Boy Of Worldliness
AND
A Closet Full Of Greed
- I Used To Ride That Puppy With Speed!

I Even Cast Out
Butcher Knives For Backstabbing
Dainty Teaspoons Full Of Unkindness
Desert Forks For Sly Digs
Ladles Holding License For Liberty
AND
Trays Laden With "I Can Do As I Please!"

If I Decided To Go On Listing My Cast-Offs
My Cast Aways
I Would Still Be Writing Tomorrow
AND
I Don't Choose To Spend My Day That Way!

Sufficed To Say ...

I Didn't Even Realize That 

The Holy Spirit Had Indeed Fully Moved In
AND
Had Completely Taken Over
Until
One Day ... Quite Sweet
I Was Riding In My New Rocking Chair
From The "Yes, Lord!" Collection!

I Suddenly Had No Fear Of Tomorrow
AND
The Light Of Life Was Shining Through
My Windows Called
Clean And Clear Salved Eyes
AND
My Table Called Faith
Had A Single Plate Marked
"Just For Today!"

I Had A Single Glass Cup!
Every Day It Looked The Same!
Never Full!
Never Empty!
AND
When I Queried
The New Boss Of Me
He Stated That That Cup Is Called Grace
AND THATWhat I Therein Received
IS
Always Sufficient!
In Believer's Parlance
It Was More Than Plenty!

My New Bed Is From The "Rest!" Collection!
My New Comforter Is From The Collection Called "Perfect Peace!"
My Shoes Are From The "Delivery Of The Gospel Of Peace!" Collection
AND
My New Attire Is From The Simple Line
"The Righteousness Of Christ!"

I Even Received A New Chapeau
From The Collection "Salvation Has Been Brought Down!"
Bearing A Blood-Red Ribbon
Beautifully Embroidered
With The Words
That Made Me Cry And Laugh
AND
Hug The Lord Of My Heart:

Saved By Grace!

Property

Of

Jesus Christ

Redeemer Of Man!

You Are Loved!

To All Those Who Believe
That They Have No Reason To ... Be:

Listen Unto Me
AND

Hear Me Clearly When I Say:

The Lord Of Life

Cries Over Thee

And

Loves Thee Always!

There Is Rejoicing Up In Heaven
When A Repentant Sinner Returns To The Safe Fold
AND

That Should Indicate To You
That 

The Eternal God Cares For Your Soul!

Do You Realize That The Face Of A Man
Is The Face Of One Of Those Creatures
Ever Present Before The Almighty God
AND
If This Does Not Cause You Think
Shake Your Head
AND

Clear Your Mind!
Blink!

Think, Brethren! Think!

The God Of All Graces 

Consented To Become A Man
A Human
AND

Came Down To Earth
To Walk The Land
Teaching Healing Feeding
Crying Dying
Arising From The Dead
AND

Rising Again To Glory
So That Man
- All Willing Mankind -
In Purchased Victory Over Sin
May To God's Eternal Kingdom
Be Valiantly Rejoicingly Lead!

Our God Sings

AND
Our God Loves Our Praise-Singing
Desires Our Worship
Hears Our Prayers
Provides For Our Present Needs
Is Preparing Our Future Home
AND
Stands In Glory
As Our Open Door
Waiting
Calling Pleading
Encouraging
Directing Correcting
Leading Guiding
Healing
Feeling, Feeling, Feeling Our Pain

AND
Marked - For Eternity -
As Brethren
With Us Mere Men
Who Do His Holy Name
Profane
Time And Again!

In All Scripture Given
No Other People Is Named
As The One About Which Almighty God Said:

Let Us Make Man

In Our Own Image

After Our Likeness!

So ...

Why Will You Say
That You Are Not Important Again?!

Satan Is The Beguiler
The  Betrayer
The Known Fiend
AND

If You Are Listening To Him
Know Of A Surety
That His Words Are Unclean
His Pottage Is Deceitful Meat
His Gold Is Rusty And Cankered
His Music Is Mesmerizing
AND
His Power Is Putrid 

AND

Wicked

AND
Covered In Sin Black As The Night
Under Which He  Does
Unwary Men Attack!

Give That Damned Satan In Your Life No Slack!

Call Out To The Lord Christ
Who Holds You In His Hand
Who Protects Your Front

Your Back And Both Sides
Who Covers You With His Feathers
Who Provides For Your Need
So That You Suffer No Lack!

Trust God - He Delivers!
Trust God  - He Saves!
Trust God!

He Breaks Chains
So That You Are Not Known The Slave!

Look Up To Christ Jesus ... And LIVE!

He Gives

And

Forgives!

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: Greedy-for-Gain: Jealous Envy! + PRAYER

One Day ... I Had An Epiphany!
It Seems I Had A Dose of The I-Wants
So That I Could Say That I-Have!
BUT
What Was Peculiar About This Condition Was
What I Wanted
I Didn't Even Like
AND
To Make Matters Worse
I Would Have To Say I-Have
About What I-Already-Got!

This Smelled of Covetousness
Covered Up In Greedy-for-Gain
For A Lifestyle Not Able To Be Sustained
But Promoted by The People On The Power-Train
Who Lived Lives Useless and
Not-a-Little Brittle and 
Awfully, Awfully, Awfully Vain!

Was I Exhibiting Jealousy
Or, Perhaps ... Envy?!

With This In Mind
I Repaired To The Lord Divine!

The Answer, Dear Ones
Was NOT To Me Kind
BUT
Take It I Must
If I Wanted Ultimately
To Heaven Climb!

The Lord's Name IS Jealous
AND
He IS Jealous for What is His!

My Life
My Love
My Worship
My Prayers
My Praise
Are All His
AND
Jealousy IS Permitted Over WHAT Is Your Own!

BUT ...

Here Is The Kicker!

I Was Indulging In Envy!

Envy Is Longing For What Belongs To ... Another
AND
Envy IS Sin - A Deadly Sin -
AND
It Was The Very Sin That
PRECIPITATED
Lucifer's
Devolution Into Satan
AND
His Unceremonious Departure From
The Heavenly Home!

People!
I Was In Serious Trouble!

Father, 

Forgive Me!

I Knew What I Was Doing!

I Wanted What The Others Have

Because 

It Would Make Me Appear

Highfalutin!

Father,

I Do Not Need The Excess!

I Just Need Enough!

Enough For Myself 

and 

To Share With Another!

I Do Not Need Things to Store Up

Making My Home Miserable

and

Collecting Dust!

Father, 

Please Clean Out My Cobwebs

and 

The Dusty Thoughts of Glories Past!

Help Me to Solely Lean 

on 

The Rock Of All Ages

So That I May Soar Through 

Unimaginable Heavenly Places!

Give Me Blind Eyes to Worldly Thrills!

Give Me Deaf Ears to Worldly Fears!

Let My Heart to You Repair

and

Keep Me Ever 

In Your Holy Care!

I Love You, Lord!

AMEN.

*******

Create In Me, Lord

A Burning Jealousy 

for 

My Home

In The Eternal 

-  not Magical - 

Kingdom!

PRAYER: Protect Me, Father, From Self

Father! Hellllpp!
Self is bothering me, and I don’t like it!
Everywhere I go all I see is Self!
Everything I do all is hear is Self!
And every comfort I seek is always about Self
And I am getting really tired of this!
Why can’t it - just for a change - be about Other
Or even Somebody Else?
Lord, I am willing, but Self is winning
And this is killing me ... slowly.
Grant me Your Grace
That I may replace
The disgrace in my face
With love for the fearing
Light for hearing
Sight for the daring
Comfort for the burden-bearing
Caring for the soul-sick and searching
And friendship for the former foe now friendless.
Help me, Father, to forsake Self and to

Seek an
Elevating
Life of
Faith - not feeling.

  Amen.