BE ENCOURAGED: The Same God

The Same God Who Created Me
Is The Same God Who Died To Save Me
Is The Same God Who Is In Heaven Preparing A Place For Me
Is The Same God Who Gently Leads Me
Is The Same God Who Graciously Feeds Me
Is The Same God Who Lovingly Chides Me
Is The Same God Who Encourages Me To Reason With Him
Is The Same God Who Pleads With Me To Repent When I Sin
Is The Same God Who Encourages Me To Pray Without Ceasing
Is The Same God Who Encourages To Call On Him Whatever The Matter
Is The Same God Who Encourages Me To Trust In Him For He Won't Permit Satan My Faith And Hope To Scatter
Is The Same God Who Will Lift Me Up When The Winds Of Hate And Strife Doth Me Batter
Is The Same God Who Cautions Me When Sin Doth Me Flatter
Is The Same God Who Protects Me When Life's Billows Roll
Is The Same God Who Will Mark My Grave When For Me Death's Bell Doth Toll
Is The Same God Who Will Comfort Me When Grief Racks My Soul
And Who
- No Matter Who By Constant Complaint Tries To Get Him To Comply - 
Won't Cast Me Out From His Fold
BECAUSE
On Him I Completely Rely!

Jesus Loves Me!

Come What May 

In Him I Abide 

Each And Every Day!

He Is My Portion!

I Will Not Him Deny

AND

With His Blessing

I Will Join Him

On The Way To The Glorious Home

- With Saints And With Angels -

Through The Opened Sky!

There Is No Gain In SIN!

A Siren Is A Sign To Me
Of
My Fallability - The Fall of Adam and Eve Brought Sin To All Their Progeny!
AND
My Culpability -  I Can't Blame Adam and Eve For 
- According To God's Word -
I Sin By Thought
By Word
AND
By Deed!

A Siren Convinces Me
Every Single Day
Of The Insanity Of Sin!

Some Of Us
Do Not Want To Call Sin,  SIN!

Political Correctness Deems SIN As:

Wrong-Doing
Mistake In Judgment
Error In Judgment
Crime Of Passion
Result Of Societal Failure
And, So Much More!

In It All
There Is The Rush To Judgment
Wherein It Is By One Group Said That
The Non-existent Devil 
Made The Handicapped-By-Neglect
Perform The Non-Conforming Deed!

Another Group Says That God Almighty
The Vengeful
Detached
Uninterested
Creation-Of-The-Too-Vivid-And-Uneducated-Imagination
Caused It To Occur 
By His Hands-off Approach 
To Ownership of The Planet And Its Inhabitants!

Thankfully ...

There Is The Third Group!

There Are Uncorrupted-Bible Believers
Who Call God - Faithful and True
Who Call Sin -  Transgression Of God's Law
Who Take Responsibility For Their Own Sins 
By Confession 
AND
Repentance
EVEN THOUGH
That Will Not Negate The Punishment
AND 
Who Realize
AND
Acknowledge That
The President Can't Outlaw Sin!
The Pope Can't Forgive Sin!
Purgatory Can't Clean The Dead Sinner's Sin!
Bowing Before Abominable Idols Can't Gain The Sinner Forgiveness For Sin!
Calling A Dead Person A Saint 
AND
Praying To Them To Intercede For The Sinner 
Can't Absolve The Sinner Of His Sin
AND
They Know That Good Works Can't Clean Sin
AND
They Gratefully Acknowledge
That Jesus Christ - The Righteous
The King Of Creation
He Who Was Once Dead For Our Sin
BUT
Is Alive Forevermore
The Righteous Judge
- Who Was The Lamb Without Spot Or Blemish -
The Only Perfect Sacrifice
IS
Our High Priest Forever
After The Order Of Melchisedec
Without Beginning Or Ending
AND
Is Our Peace
Our Rest
Our Shepherd
Our Hope For Salvation
AND
Glory
Is The One - Alone
Wherein We Can Find Courage 
To Walk True 
Without Sinning
Despite The Batterings Of Life
Mankind's Flagrant Sin
AND
The Hail Of Destruction And Death 
Which Surrounds!

There Is No Gain In SIN!

Jesus Saves

From Death

Hell And The Eternal Grave!

Yes!

JESUS CHRIST SAVES!

Because Of Jesus Christ's Love ...!

Because Of Love  
A Heart Did Break!
Because Of Love 
He Let Them His Life Take
And Satan And His Minions
Did Joyously Celebrate
Because Love They Truly Did Hate!

Because Of Love
A Repentant Soul Will Be Saved!
Because Of Love Confessed 
Sin Can No More The Penitent Enslave!
Because Of Love
I Can Hold Up My Head
Because The King Of Love is Living Not Dead!

Because Of Love
Sin And Death Couldn't Keep Jesus Christ In The Grave!
Because Of Love
Jesus Christ Came Out Living 
From The Cold Grave
And Satan And His Minions
Are Now On A Hate-filled Rampage!

Because Of Love
My Eyes Have Been Salved!
Because Of Love I Will Not Bow To The Golden Calf!
Because Of Love
I No Longer Live My Life Half And Half
And Satan And His Minions Are Seeking To Destroy Me
By Stimulating A National Good-Sin Policy Draft!

But ...

The Lord Is My Shepherd!
I Don't Follow The Multitude!
I Walk To Christ As One Faithful
Even If Doing That Makes Me Walk Alone
And Everyone Label Me 
A Religiously Fundamental Intolerant Prude!

Because Of Love 
I Shall See My King Some Day!
Because Of My Sorrowful Repentance
I Won't For My Own Sins Have To Pay!
Because Of God's Love
I Can Sing: "Hallelujah!" Today
And Pray And Praise Him To The End Of My Days!

PHARISAISM : Walking Wide

One Day
Not Too Long Ago
I Met An Honest-To-Goodness Pharisee!
AND
Believe It Or Not
His Name Is Me!

Now
What Was So Stunning About This Meeting
Is That I Was Standing
In A Mirrored Space
With My Friend
And I -  Me -  Was There 
Plain As Day
To See!

The Experience
Was Troubling 
And 
Humbling!
Self Was In The Fore
And Before One Could Say: "Score!"
Condemnation
That Black-hearted Gully-Bore
Was Calling Another
Something Not Nice At The Core!

I Pointed A Finger At The Mirror!
Three-Finger Was Pointing Back At Me
And That Is When
I Heard Satan
Laughing Uproariously:

"What A Dunce!

Condemning Another

By Pound Versus An Ounce!

How Precious!

Get Ready, Thou Judge!

Upon You I Shall Pounce

And 

You Shall Know 

That You Have Been Trounced!"

I Stood ...  Aghast!

Lord Jesus!
Look What Has Come To Pass!
I Saw Their Mote
But A Beam
A Plank
A Big Piece Of Wood
Is Sticking Out Of My Eye!

I -  Me - Am Become The World's Judge!
Me - The One Who Is Always Making Fudge!
I Am Now Found Wallowing In Sludge!
I Can't See Myself!
I Am Become God
When That That I Condemn
Is What Has Me Walking On
The Razor's Edge!

If I Slip ...
When I Slip
I Shall Fall
And My Head
Will Have Been Recalled
And,  I
Will Have No Opportunity To Recant!

Lord,  Please Forgive Me!

You - The Eternal - Are The True Judge!

Lord,  Get Me Out Of This Self-Manufactured Sludge

And Keep At Your Side

In Your Care

From Which I - By Living Faith -

Shall Never, Ever, Again Budge!

*********

Judging Another

Is Like

Walking Wide

On

A Narrow Ledge!

*********

When We Judge Others

We Condemn Ourselves

So

 Let's Stop Being Pharisees

AND

Remind Ourselves 

That

Almighty God 

Is 

The Judge

AND

Get Off 

The Wind-swept Ledge

AND

Walk Away

From

Sin's Fine-Honed Edge!

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: PRAYER - Zealous For God's Word!

Father,

I Come To You

As A Child

Eager

And Willing To Learn Your Ways

Trusting Of Your Word

And

With Your Help And Guidance

Ready To Reason With You

To Come To The Conclusion Of

The Whole Matter!

Father, You Said That

Your Word Is Sealed and Settled In Heaven!

You Said You Are The Same Yesterday,  Today and Forever!

You Said You Change Not!

You Said You Are Jealous For

What Belongs To You

And

For Your Holy Name!

You Said That You Sanctify People Through Your Truth

And

You Said That Your Word Is Truth!

You Said That You Breathed Into Man's Nostrils

The Breath Of Life

And,  Thereby

Man Became A Living Soul!

You Said It Is Appointed Once For Man To Die!

You Said In The Instant A Man Dies

His Thoughts Perish

And

He Goes To His Long Home

And

You Said That The Dead Know Nothing!

Lord,

I Believe What You Have Said

And Yet ...

Some Those Who Are Called

Ministers Of The Gospel

- Your Ministers -

Are Saying

That No Man Has Ever Died

And

That Man Cannot Die!

And,  Lord

Some Of Them Are Saying 

That It Is Okay

To Pray To Dead People

Because They Are Not Truly Dead

But Are Really In Heaven

With You

Working For You

In Our Behalf

Even Though You Said

That Your Only Begotten Son

Jesus Christ

Died Once

For All Mankind

And Is In The Holy Of Holies

In The Heavenly Sanctuary

Interceding For His Faithful

Because

The Payment For Sin Was Death

And The Only Acceptable Payment Was Blood

The Pure Blood

Of The Unspotted,  Unblemished Lamb Of God

Who Took Away The Sin Of The Earth

And Who Laid Down His Own Life

And Died On The Cross Of Calvary

And Was Buried

And Who Took Back Up His Life

And Returned Home To You

In The Glorious Kingdom

And Is Coming Back To Earth - As You In Your Word Promised -

To Raise The Dead From Their Dusty Beds

In The Soil Of The Earth

From Which They Were Created -  By Your Word -

In The Hands Of The Word Of God

Who Was With You At The Creation Of The World

And Who Made All Things

For

Without Him

Was Not Anything Made That Was Made!

Father,  Have You Changed?

Have You Changed Your Plan?

You Said That You Do Nothing

Without Revealing The Same To Your Servants The Prophets!

You Also Said Not To Give Attention To Those Prophets

Who Say They Have Been Sent

With A Word From You

But Are Speaking -  Of Their Own Selves -

Lying Divinations!

You Said That Your Word Will Never Contradict Itself!

You Said That Understanding

Of Your Revealed Word

Will Be Found 

Precept Upon Precept

Line Upon Line

And Here A Little

There A Little!

Father,  You Said To Have Nothing To Do With Those

Who Have Familiar Spirits,

And Who Inquire Of Wizards That Peep!

How Is It Then

That Some Of The Ministers Of Your Truth

Are Saying That YOU Sent A Word Of Truth

To The Holy People 

Via The Very Instrumentality

That YOU Declared An Abomination?

Father,

Are You God

Or

Should I Look For Another?

Father,

You Said That Knowledge And Understanding

Will Be Increased In The Last Days

But I Can Find Nothing In Your Word 

That Says

That YOU Gave Men 

- Born Of Deceitful Disposition -

Permission

To Fix Your Holy Word

Especially Since You,  Yourself, Said

That Heaven And Earth Will Pass Away

BUT 

Not One Dot Nor Tittle 

- Nothing In Your Word -

Will Be Removed

Until All Of Your Word

Has Been Fulfilled!

Is There Another Book That You Have Written?

Father,

Why Are Your People Being Boldly Told

To Accept That YOU Can't Know Everything

And

That You Get Tired

And

Need Help From Finite Men

And

That You Are Too Busy

To Be Involved In Our Myriad And Various Affairs

As If You Are A Mere Man

Even Though You - Yourself -

Said That From Everlasting To Everlasting

You Are God

The Beginning And The Ending

The First And The Last

Who Made Heaven And Earth

And

All That IS In Them

And Who Is

-  In The Words Of The King -

With Us If We Are In Heaven

And If We Are  In Hell

You Will Be There Also?

Father, 

You,  Yourself,  Said

That If You Were Hungry

You Would Not Tell Us For Everything Is Yours!

You,  Yourself,  Said

That Heaven Is Your Throne

And

Earth Is Your Footstool

And That They Cannot Contain You

But,  Yet,

You May Live In The Heart-Temple Of Man!

Father,

You Say That You Call

All The Stars Of Heaven By Name

And That You Designate Their Courses!

You Say That You Have Great Storehouses Of Hail

Against The Day Of Battle!

You Say That You Have Counted Every Hair On My Head

And

That You Knew Me Before I Was Born!

Lord, You Say That No Man

Can See You Face To Face And Live!

You Say That Jesus Christ Is

The Visible Image Of The Invisible God

Who YOU Are!

Jesus Christ Died To Save Me

And

I Trust Him At His Word!

Jesus Christ Sent His Holy Spirit

To Comfort Me

To Teach Me

To Guide Me

And, Also 

To Chide Me

When I Go Astray!

For This,  Lord

I Give You Praise!

Jesus Christ Is My Peace!

Jesus Christ Said That He

IS The Way

The Truth

And

The Life

And

That I Can't Get To You

Except Through Him

And,  Yet,  Lord

There Are Those Who Insist

That A Personal Relationship

With My Jesus

Is Dangerous?!

Lord, Please Tell Me

Why Would He

Who Created Me

Who Sustains Me

Who Made The Salvation Of My Soul Possible

To Permit Me To Call You Father

And

Who Is Preparing A Place For Me

In Your House

Be A Danger To Me?

Father,

Are You Still On Your Throne

Or 

Has Satan Raised His Throne

Above Yours?

Lord,

I Can't See You

BUT

I Know You Are Here With Me

Right Now

In My Heart

And I - By Faith -

Choose To Walk

In The Jesus Way

Because Of The Living Truth

For I Love You,  Lord

And

I Desire To Receive The Eternal Life That You Promised

- To All Who Believe On Jesus Christ

Whom You Sent -

At The Trumpet Sound On The Last Day!

I Believe In You,  Lord!

Help Thou My Unbelief!

Please,  Lord

Order My Steps In Your Holy Word!

Give Me Your Eye-salve

And

Help Me You To Ever See!

Give Me The Garment Of Christ's Righteousness

That The Shame Of My Nakedness

The Mar Of My Sin

Be Not Exposed!

Help Me To Buy Of You

The Pure Gold That Has Been Tried

In Heaven's Fire

For I Desire My Soul's Salvation!

Lord,

Keep My Eyes Fixed

My Feet Firm

My Back To The Gospel Plow

My Hope For Heaven High

And

My Heart On Your Forever Home!

Lord,

Help Me Not To Heed

The Wily Call

The Willful Song

The Lustful Lullaby

The Deceitful Dirge

Nor

Satan's Silken Sinful Sounds In Songs!

Father,

Help Me To Speak Your Truth

Stand On Your Truth

Stand Up For Your Truth

No Matter The Matter

The Mess

Nor The Manner!

Father,

Please Hold Me!

Help Me!

Heal My Heart Of Sin and Wrong

And Let Me Not Be Swayed

By Illuminated Rhetoric

Nor By Church Economic Charts

Nor The Glittering Pageantry Of

The Traditions Of Unholy Men!

Have Mercy,  Lord,  On Me

For

I Desire The Right,  Lord

To Walk Through The Gates

And Enter Into Your City!

You Are Just!

You Are Faithful

And

I Confess My Sins!

Please,  Father

Forgive My Sins

And

Clean Me Of All Unrighteousness!

Let Your Mercy,  Lord

Not Only Forgive My Sins

But Blot Them Out Of Your Book Of Remembrance!

Oh,  Lord,

Help Me To Live

And

Let Me Die

Sealed

In Your Living

Preserved

Holy Word!

Let My Salt Be Savory

For Else It Will Be No Good

Save To Be Cast Upon The Ground

And

Trampled Underfoot

And

Let  My Light Shine Brightly

Before All Men

So That Your Holy Name

Will Be Glorified

Until The Great And Terrible Day

When All The Saints Of God

Some Still Living And Those Once Dead

Shall Ascend

To The Heights Of Heaven

As

The Church Triumphant

For I Love You

My Lord

And

My God!

Come Lord!

Amen.

PIE IN THE SKY: Slice Of God

There Are People Saying:

"God Is Not Real!"
He Is Just Pie In The Sky!"

Well, I Like Pie
BUT
I Love God!
They Are A Good Combination
The Sweet
AND 
The True
And I Want A Slice Of Pie
AND 
A Home With The Holy God, Too!

If God Is Pizza Pie
Give Me A Twelve-Inch Round
Deep Dish
Stuffed Crust
With Extra Cheese
AND
Hold The Napkins!

I Need God All Over Me!

If God Is Apple Pie
- Truth Or Lie -
I Am Not Hedging My Bets!
I Am All In!
I Want Need The Pie God
For
I'll Be - By Faith -
Fat
AND 
Flourishing
AND 
Filled
AND
Satan
Can Go Take Himself
A Lake Of Fire and Brimstone Not-Chill!

Faith 

Is 

The Victory 

That Overcomes 

The Loud-Mouthed Confidence 

Of 

Satan's Con Men ... And Women!

*********

Don't Be Fooled!

TRUST THE LIVING ETERNAL HOLY GOD!