Further To Turning Your Eyes Upon ... Jesus: KNOWING HIM!

For more years than I care to recall, I have Stated that I am no one's Favorite Child!

I have also long stated that I have no Expectation of an Inheritance from Anyone
And
That the Only Thing that my Grandmother gave to Me was My Faith in Jesus Christ!

I have also made it Abundantly Clear to anyone who will Listen that There is No Human who can Give Another Human...  FAITH!!

A.  I have never seen Jesus BUT I know Him... Intimately. How?

I had a client 30+ years ago,  whom I have never seen,  who became my dearest friend, and who became my son's God-parent.  How?

I gave birth to a child who did not "know" me but who,  as he grew,  no matter how late I got home,  which was very often 7-10 hours AFTER the regular close of business, or how tired he was,  or who else was around to take care of him,  would not rest or sleep,  until I reached home and he could hear, and smell me.  Why?

My son grew, went to preschool.  I started keeping more normal hours and whenever I reached home he was waiting,  all excited,  waiting for something!

I always had something to give him every single day without failure. How did he know? Why the Expectation?

And,  as he grew older, he never asked what did I get him. Why?

Where did The Faith come from?

I have been privileged to hear my son publicly say that I have never lied to him. Why?

I have been blessed to hear my son say that he can trust me to always tell him the Truth. Why?

What is there in the Communion of The Soul and The Savior, and Communication of Trust by Way of Faith through Trust that causes Faith?

What is The Tone Heard or Felt?

What is The Scent Fragranced?

Do we Love through our Noses?

Do we Trust through our Ears? (Faith Comes by Hearing!)

IS Faith on or in The Skin?

Why do Some have Faith and Others don't?

Who do Some Doubt and Others don't?

In My Personal Journey on The Road to Salvation,  I can say,  without fear of Contradiction, I have always felt Safe with Jesus.

I have walked,  often,  in my own Way BUT I have always felt Safer walking and talking with Jesus.

Somehow,  I always knew I had a Safe Haven in The Savior.

Everyday I knew I would receive something.  What? Don't know.  Can't tell.  But... Something!

Sometimes, especially in times of Waywardness and times of Deep Distress,  Lonesomeness and Quietness, and even Happiness I would Feel,  Sense,  even Become Aware of a Warm and Comforting Presence.

I would find myself Suddenly Smiling without External Input.

I would find myself stopping my current activity, and turning my head and Listening.

I have found My Self by Myself Answering ... Aloud ... The Unspoken Heard Question.

I have Chosen to Trust Who I can't See but Who I Know.

Jesus said: "ALL that The Father hath GIVEN to Me WILL COME TO ME...! "

Jesus IS The Rose of Sharon.

Who does not want to nose The Fragrance of The Graceful Rose,  and be Caressed by The Velvet of its Petals?

Who will not brace the Tear of The Rose's Thorns to be The Possessor of The Beauteous Bloom of The Heir... Loom?

Do we not Recognize Truth even when it Comes from an Unknown Source?

Why then, would we not Accept Truth and Love, and Love and Trust The Source of Our Creation who, Assuredly, left His Maker Mark in Every Soul?

Just like every cellphone has a Manufacturer Unlock Code, so do Humans.

There are those of us who, after three or six months of use, call The Phone Company. and request The Unlock Code BECAUSE we wish, at our own Say-so to Go to Another Wireless Service Provider IF The Current Provider does not Meet Our Needs.

Some of us just Want The Code because we can have it and can Jump Ship At Will.

Some of us Don't Care to Change, or Move, or Know how to Move. 

We are SATISFIED WITH JESUS.

Having Been Turned On by The Originator IS Enough.

We will Stay The Distance by Faith.

*******

Does not Jesus say: "My Sheep KNOW My VOICE!?"

Turn Your Eyes Upon ... Jesus!

The Flash was Bright
The Spectacle Light
And that Light
Behind Darkest Dimmers 
Fair to Right Blinded Me!

The Spectacle
That Show
The Purveyors of Sin Heaven Knows
Fair Left Me To Truth Disoriented
As Living Swill to Me 
They Unrelentingly 
Daily Presented!

Pretty, Pretty, Light!!
Those Colors
Strobing 
Stroking Me
In My Dark Night
Instead of Guiding My Footsteps Aright
To My Death and 
Eternal Destruction
Led Me
Stomach Roiling
Steps Wobbling
To The Precipice Drear and
I Know ... Desperation!
I Know ... Fear!

In My Sorrows and
In Fear
In Desperation of Soul
I Will Declare
I Called and
I Called Out:

"IS Anyone ...

IS A Savior ...

Near?!"

"No one could be here!

Oh,  Lord, I'm Alone!

Who will Care for This One

Lost ... and so Very Alone?"

And in My Own Last Strength

Huh?!?

I Heard ... ¿??!¿!

I Heard Me a Quiet Voice:

"Turn Your Eyes Toward My Voice!

Look Upon Me - Even Though You Can't See!

I Have True Light and

I Provide Peace and

I Offer Rest!

I Offer You My Living Place 

So

Look in Faith

Toward The Cleft In The Rock - Follow My Voice!

Hold Out Your Hand!

Don't Look Down!

Don't Look Around!

Reach for Me!

I AM Holding You!

You Can't Fall!

My Grip is Everlasting Sound

Heaven Strong

By Grace - Profound

And FYI, It Is Eternity Long!

Trust Me!

I Can't Let You Drown!"

He'd said: "Turn!"

I Physically Turned My Body and 
Looked ...

He said:  "Look Upon ...!"

I looked Up and 
Locked On!

MY Eyes ...
It is My Decision
To Trust Him
Whom I Can't Physically See, See!
If I don't - I'm Already Dead Anyway!
What He's Saying 
Sounds Like Love To Me!

I Must Say I have
My Death to Lose and
His Life to Gain
IF
IF
IF
I
DO
What He - The Voice
In My Dark Light
Night Blindness
Says!

I Squeezed My Blind Eyes
Tight Shut!

He IS Talking to Me!

I hold My Breath for
I am Listening!

The Lord Must Be Here
In The Depths of This Hell Where I Be
Surrounded by a Light by which I can't See
So
I Reached Out!

The Great Hand - I Feel It
IS Touching 
Holding 
Carrying Me!

I Opened My Eyes!
Lord of Heaven!
It's Indeed Jesus Christ
The Author Finisher of My Little Faith!

I Bless Him and Confess
That 
Without Him 
I'd be a Crumpled, Dead Mess!

I'm Glad I Answered His Call and 
Got Off
The Hell-Spun
Stomach-churning
Head-Spinning 
Soul-darkening 
Disco Ball!

Turning Our Eyes Upon Jesus 

Literally Means 

Turning Our Backs To The World

Taking Our Sight Away from What Is Only At Our Feet

And 

Casting Our Gaze Upon Him Who Lifts Our Heads

And 

Will Carry Us - Bodily - Home To His Glory

And

Hanging On To Him

for

Eternal Life!

*******

Drop The Brassy Ring

and

Hold Out Your Heart

for

Your Gold Crown!

*******

Look Up

and

Depend On Jesus 

and 

YOU WILL LIVE!!

The Mocking Birds Sing!

I heard The Chorus Singing
A Pretty Little Song
And when The Song was finished
I felt my mouth hanging down!

The Song was One Quite Ordinary
No Gymnastics Particular
The Singers - They Floored Me
For they were Peacocks, and Canaries, and a couple Clowns!

Now, I am Sure that you are Aware
That Peacocks Look Pretty and
Canaries Sing Pretty
And when they are in Communion
They are Irresistible to Lustful Human Soul's Ear!

"Sing for Sin Today is Subjective

Sing before The Lord and then Pray

Sing to Lord - He Bought Your Pardon

Sing - for Jesus Christ Your Debt Already Paid!"

I am not going to Belabor You with Why's and Wherefore's
I am not going to Tickle You nor Torment
I am just going to Lay It Straight for You
And Invite You to Offer Your Comment!

The Chorus in The Church was Singing
Pretty Preacher was Pastoring The Flock
The Prophet had been Asked if The Lord has Sent A Message
And The People had had Themselves A Good Shout!

But... It was at The Particular Singing
That The Mocking Birds Outdid The Chorus That Day
And that is when I Gained Clear Focus
On what it is All The Choir Birds Did Really Say:

"Sin for Sin Today is Subjective

Sin before The Lord and then Pray

Sing to The Lord - He Bought Your Pardon

Sin - for Jesus Christ Your Debt Already Paid!"

Come, Lord Jesus!!

The Order Of The Day + Prayer: Comfort Us

Death and Destruction - The Order of The Day!
Chaos and Corruption - The Vaunted Way!
Destabilization Gymnastics - No Matter What They Say
The Innocents Are The Ones Who Usually Pay!

Life is Not a War Game Played by Foolish Boys!
Life is No Tea Party With Silly Girls and Made Up Toys!
Real Life is Real Hard - Relentless and Vindictive
Masterminded by Mayhem - Motivated by Hate
Covering an Unholy Quest for False and Fleeting Joys!

Oh, Lord, The Trafficking is Relentless!!
Oh, Lord, The Cry of Pain - even Death - is Common Heard
The People, Lord, as Merchandise
Bought and Sold on The World's Exchanges
Are Being Robbed of Their Soul's Salvation
By The Dying God of The World
Hell-bent on Gaining An Army of Warriors Against Jesus - by Default!

Father, I'm Pleading for Your People
Whom You Promised to Protect!
You Promised My Master, Jesus
He would not lose One Soul, and
He Promised He will Not One Comer Eject!

Give us Your Grace, Lord
To Daily Make Our Commitment
To Stand Firm in The Lord
Father, Help Us Ever Sin to Reject!

God of All Grace

We Turn to You Our Faces

Lit with Eternal Life's Hope

Soothed by Peace, and

Lubricated by Joy!

Please Carry us By Your Love, and

Comfort us Even As We Pray!

We Accept Your Divine Offer of Mercy!

Father, Please Accept Our Repentance for Sin!

Hear Our Prayer of Faith This Day, and

Protect Us from The Evil One on The Pathway

So that We will not for Our Own Sin

Have to Eternally Pay.

AMEN.

Rejecting Joy For A Toy + Prayer: Father, Forgive Me!

I did not Commit a Sin That Day!
I did something Worse!
I committed a Self, My Friend
Which proved to be much like The Curse!

I did not break any Laws of God
I did not Lie
I did not Cheat
I did not Steal
But what I did that day Revealed
A side of Me I Openly Concealed!

I found out that I Reverence The Living God
Upon My Currently Available Terms!
I allowed That Sotto Voce
To Dictate when how I would Enter in
Sweet Communion with My King.

Well,  you may ask
Why The Big Deal?
Is not God always there?
Oh, yes,  He is!
But that's not The Point!
I have set aside His Special Time
Where I rest in Him
And we Commune - Love and Talk!

Let me try to Explain Better Using a computer game as Analogy:

I had a scheduled appointment with Jesus
My heart and my head were prepared
We got together as determined
No bells, no whistles
No fanfare.

During our normally scheduled appointment
Worldly pursuits and considerations were put away
This Time Is for Recharging The Soul's Batteries
So that Life would not drown me in The Rolling Waves!

In the Midst of our  Appointment
A Bright Button interrupted The Blessed Flow
I Interrupted Pray and Praise with My Jesus
To check how many of My Electronic-Game-Lives 
Time had graciously Restored!

As if that were not Sufficiently Egregious
Checking The Game
Turned into Full Game Play
And even though I could hear The Holy Spirit calling
I Permitted Self's Sotto Voce
To Decide Whom I Diligently Worshiped and
At whose Altar I Fervently Prayed!

I take it back!
What I said earlier
About not having Committed any Sin
Nor broken any Laws!
The First Commandment I did break
Choosing The Game-God
Loving The Fake!

Problem is when Electronic-God took my Electronic-Lives
I Returned to Jesus Christ with Burning Eyes
And He Accepted Me
As I proffered banalities and
Uttered platitudes as if Jesus Christ did not have
All-seeing, All-knowing, Ever-present eyes.

Well, let me tell you The Outcome of That Debacle!
I have never felt more Adrift from God than I did That Day!
I felt like I had Disappointed, Even Lost My Best Friend
And, Believe Me, The Incident Something Precious did Me truly Cost!

I tried to Rationalize My Game-Play
I tried asking Myself
Why such a Big Deal over a "Stupid Game!"
But, try as I might, I couldn't get my Living Spirit to feel Right
For it was as though I had Permitted My Blessing from God to be A "NO Show!"

Dear Ones:

This Real Life Is No Computer Simulation!

There are Real Souls, Real Threats, Real Prizes, Real Deaths and Real Rewards!

The Real Difference between The Real Computer and Your Real Life Is that Real Death without a Real Commitment to The Real Jesus Leaves One without The Real Benefit of The Eternal's Real Life Regeneration Cord, and Award, and Reward!

Anything in Our Lives That causes Our  Eyes To Look Away from Jesus Christ IS Our New God, Compliments of The Fraud!

So, Give it Up, and Look Up!

Call to Jesus - He'll get you off It's Hook, and With Eternal Blessings, He will Fill You Up!

Tell It To Jesus!

God Wrote His Law 

On 

The Tables Of Our Hearts

AND

We Will

ALWAYS KNOW WHEN

We Are Doing Wrong!

*******

Denying A Lie Doesn't Convert It To The Truth!

AND

Don't Play

A Disobedient Jonah's Part

In

Your Own Life's Story!

PRAYER:

Father, Forgive Me

For Ignoring You

Father, Forgive Me

For Creating Presumptuous-Sin Stew

Father, Forgive Me

For Those Days when I Deliberately, Wickedly

Choose to Not Know or Own You

And Help Me to Yield My Sinful Self

Totally Unto You!

I Love You, Lord.

AMEN

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: Some People ...

Some people walk a mile in shoes and
Some people can't walk!

Some people cry foul at going to work in the rain and
Some people would die for a fowl, and work, and rain!

Some people give a helping hand and
Some people  just wash their hands!

Some people see with their eyes and
Some people see with their hearts!

Some people have hearts for God and
Some people have Godless hearts!

Some people Try and
Some people are Tried!

Some people love hate and
Some people hate love!

Some people stink and grow rich and
Some people richly grow despite the stink!

AND ...

Some people kill cockroaches while
Some people behave like cockroaches!

NOW, THERE ARE ...

Some people who love Jesus Christ BUT
Jesus Christ loves all people!

Some people who will be killed for Jesus Christ BUT
Jesus Christ was killed for all people!

Some people who will be saved by Jesus Christ BUT
Jesus Christ can save all people!

Some people who will meet Jesus Christ in Peace BUT
Jesus Christ is Peace for all People!

Some people will Trust Jesus Christ and won't personally pay for Sin BUT
Jesus Christ will cause all people who don't Trust Him to Pay for Their Own Sin!

Some people who are expecting Jesus Christ to Return for them in all His Glory BUT
Jesus Christ's Return for some people will be unexpectedly gory!

Some People Act Good
Some People Act Badly, and
Some People Act Every Day
As if Crime and Sinning IS Truly The Way to Play!

BUT ...

There is The Message Which Must be Told!

The Winds of Strife
Are Blowing soon Hot to Bold
And Those without
The Covenant of Peace
Will Suffer Lost when
The Winds be Fully Released 
Plainly Exposing The Dreadful Beast!

The Holy Spirit Is Calling TODAY!!
Answer! Answer!
Please Don't Delay!
Now is The Accepted Time!
Fight Sin - Get Jesus Christ!
He Will Save Save You for 
He Is Kind and Divine!

Salvation IS Free
For You and for Me
Bought and Paid for by Eternal Love
It Fits Each Soul like 
A Custom-made Glove!

AVAILABLE TODAY!

Free Insurance

Against 

Eternal Damnation

at

Grace Be Unto You

One Salvation Way, Suite #JESUS

Prayer & Supplication

#Confession, #Repentance

CANTUSEE

HAPPY SABBATH + I Like God!

I Like God!
He is My Friend
On Whom I Can Depend!
I Like God!

Seriously, I Really Like God!

"Strange Expression, don't you Think!?!"

No! No! Not at all!

Think about this:

The people with whom I choose to associate are the people I really like, respect, trust, find companiable, comforting, helpful, comfortable, resourceful, loving, funny, smart, and trustworthy. 

We are the same things to each other, and we love each other enough to like being in each other's company ... all the time!

And ... we are all-around good people, with character and faith in The True and Living God. 

Look at God:

• Faithful
• Merciful
• Helpful
• Caring
• Gracious
• Resourceful
• Creative
• Artistic
• Comforting
• Comfortable
• Trustworthy
• Loving
• Just
• Companiable
• Wise, and 
• Funny and 
• Serious and 
• True, and
• Truthful 

God Knows The Best Ways for Me to Walk, all The Best Places where I May Lay My Head, Sets The Best Table, Guards Against Enemy Attacks, and knows where The Living Waters Flow, AND He Gives Me Life!

Best of All, because He does not Pry, and Waits to be called, and is Always Available on Demand, I share things with Him that I will not Share with Another Living Soul, knowing full well that He will not "Desert Me" by Reason of my Weaknesses, and Bad Temper, and Lying, and Cheating and Stealing and Daily Fornications and Adulteries! 

God Listens and He Counsels, but there have been times when He put His foot down and Chastised Me, and stated clearly: "Don't Do That! That is Not The Way for You!"

He doesn't leave Me to "Figure it out!" for Myself!

He Teaches Me The Right Way, and Helps Me to Walk in it!

We have had a few dust-ups over the years, though and, believe me, things were pretty bad for a while!

You see, I wanted to do something that God - Repeatedly - told me not to do, and I got on my high horse, and called Him a few unflattering descriptives and went on my merry way and did my own thing and paid ... BIG TIME!!

I was totally ticked off at God after that Debacle!

"How could You let me do that?!
How could You let that happen to me?!
Why didn't You stop Me?!
I thought you were My Friend!"

Want to hear what He said:

"Beloved, you have Free Will and Free Choice!
I will Never Force you to do The Right Thing!
I will Chastise, and Plead, and Love, and Call you BUT I will let you Decide AND whatever The Decision is that you make, I will be here Waiting for you when you call!"

His Answer totally took The Wind out of my Overblown Sails!

One day, I told Him that I gave Him Permission to yank Me back when He sees me going Astray and, do you know what? 

He has taken that request to His Heart, and He sticks closer to me that even my brother can!

It is Amazing!

On another occasion, we were Talking, and I Wondered how He could be Satisfied to be Always Giving Me Blessings for which I could Never Repay Him?!

Do you know what He said!

"I Love You! 
It is Enough that you Desire to be with Me, and are always Talking Intimately with Me, willing to Follow My Lead, and that you Trust Me, and are Walking - Faithfully ... Steadfastly - on The Highway To Heaven, as you Learn and Grow from Following The Way as Set Forth in My Family Book of Gifts that I Gave to you!"

My Heart Leaped!

*******

God makes me Laugh - often!

God makes me Think - all the time!

In God, My Life is Complete

By God, I Stand Firmly on My Feet

With God, Bitter Tastes Sweet

For God Has Made Heaven The Prize

To Those who Faithfully Compete!

I Like God

He Is Wise

Uses No Lies

Plans No Way-out Strategies

Wisdom Is His Eye

I Can On Him Rely

By His Grace I Can Satan Defy

With His Mercy

In The Great By and By

I Will Live Forever

Winging To Worlds

Which Imaginings Can't Prophesy!

I Like God!

This Is Not About Obligatory Love

This Is Friendship ... And Beyond

He Called Himself My Friend - Unto The End

And Sought Me Out When I Faced Harm

He Looks Out For Me - Day and Night

He Fights For Me - Dissolving The Blight

He Died For Me - To Give Me His Light

He Carries Me - When Cares Benight

He Comforts Me - When I Take A Fright

He Watches Me - I Am Ever In His Eyesight

And Because Of His Sacrificial Love

I Shall Gain The Winner's Wreath At The End Of The Fight!

I Really, Really, Like God!