The Value Of A Blessing

God Gave Me Life!
I Didn't Even Give Him A Graceless "Thank You!"

God Gave Me A Living!
I Uttered A Half-baked "Whoo Hoo!"

I Needed A Hand
A Help
AND
A Healing
AND
God Gave Me A Hope
AND
I Behaved As If
He Is Mine To Command!

The Value Of A Blessing
Is Not To Be Underestimated!

The Value Of "Thanks!"
From The Receiver
To The Giver
Should Not Be Undersold!

We Are Instructed
To Give Thanks
With A Grateful Heart
For
Our Gifts
AND
Blessings
Cost The Holy One
Something Precious
The Half Of Which
Has Not To Us Been Told!

Let Us Tell God -

Father

Son

And

Holy Ghost

And

One Other

"Thanks!"

For The Benefits

Unrequested

Unexpected

Unhoped For

That We Have Received ... Today!!

*********

The Weight Of Thanks Is No Burden!

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: Season Of Discontent!?!

I Was Poor
BUT
I Desired To Be Rich!

I Was Free
BUT
I Desired Power!

I Could Sleep
BUT
I Desired A Grand Challenge!

I Was Footloose
BUT
I Desired A Family!

I Was Fancy-Free
BUT
I Desired Traveling Company!

With The Passage Of Time ...

I Became Rich
AND
Sorely Desired Sleep!

I Acquired A Family
AND
Sorrowfully Desired To Be Footloose!

I Acquired Power
AND
Plaintively Desired Freedom!

I Acquired A Traveling Companion
AND
Anxiously Desired Autonomy!

I Lived Like I Was God
AND
Soon Learned I Was A Slave
Tied Down
AND
Tormented
By Desires
For That Which Gave Me Neither
Peace
Nor Rest
BUT
Left Me As A Pawn
In A Game Of Chess!

AND, SO ...

Today

I Am The Proverbial

Discontented Human

In Whom Is Found 

No Gratitude

For The Blessings Of The Holy God!!

God Gave Me Some!
I Wanted Other!

God Gave Me More!
I Wanted Another!

God Gave Me
A Right Shoe
BUT
I Wanted Two!
I Got Two
BUT
Couldn't Turn Right
On Wrong Way Avenue!

I Look At My Self!
It Is Not A Happy Sight
For
I Have Been Choosing
The Wrong Battles To Fight!
I Need The Air Of Contentment!
I Need The Blessing Of Rest!
I Need To Follow The Shepherd
For
His Sheep
Are Ever Always Fed!

I Need To Trust
The Master - My Maker!
I Need The Living Water He Has!
I Need The Oil Of His Spirit
AND
The Word Of The Lamp
That Paths To Righteousness Light!

AND, SO ...

When I Have Thus
Ordered My Priorities
AND
Put My Self Under My Feet
Giving The God Of The Ages
Control Of The Way My Feet Meet
I Will Know
No More Discontentment
No More Dissatisfaction Of My Soul
No More Need To Be The Leader
BUT
Contentedly
Letting The Life - Giver
Of Me
Take Control!

A Change Of Temperature

From 59 to 87 Degrees F In Less Than 24 hours 

Showed Me This Truth!

I Was Cold
AND
I Desired Warm Air
BUT
I Got Hot Air
AND
I Desired Cool Air!

Let Us Learn

To Be Satisfied

In Jesus Christ!

HAPPY SABBATH: Perks In The Promise

I Made An Amazing Discovery!
I Have A Rotten Heart
- Rotten To The Very Core -
Wherein
Love Of Sin
AND
Penchant For Wrong-doing
Are
- For This Living Soul -
Not Even Close
To Being Hard Work
Nor Even A Chore!

Deceit
Deviltry
Doubt Of God
Disregard For Truth
AND
Defiance Of The Gospel Way
Are Just A Smattering
Of The Base Batter That Drips Out
Each AND Every Day!

BUT ...

One Glad Day
I Heard Of A Maker-Master
Who Had Bought Eternal Rights
To Take In Rotten Hearts
AND
Reissue New Hearts
To Those
- Who Will Willingly -
Take Up His Gentle Offer!

There Is No Wrangling Over 
Price
Discounts
Disregards
Denigrations
Deficits
NOR
Disease!

This One
Paid For All
Lock Stock
Bolts
AND
Barrels
Of Whatever Rotten Hearts Contain
PLUS
He Will Give A Trusting Person Immortal Life
IF
With Your New Heart
You Keep Him Close
A Perfect Companion
Through Earth's Prophesied Coming Strife
Enduring All
To Gain The Gift Of Eternal Life!

I Took Up The Offer
For
It Is The Best Deal
In All Of Creation!

My Heart Has The Feels
To Follow The Master Maker
AND
The Faith To Walk In His Way
To Gain His Promised Life
AND
To Live In His Glorious Home
With Holy Companions
Excelling In Great Strength!

I Choose To Walk With 
The One Called
The Lord
God Of Everything!

Free Grace
AND
Undying Love
Are Perks In The Promise!

Get YOUR Hookup TODAY!!

Time Is Flying!

Please Hurry!

Don't Play And Delay!

Impotent Impudent Importance!

What For
Is Importance
When One Is Impotent
And Yet Impudently
Repudiates
The Glories Of The Holy God?

What For
Is Importance
When One's Impudence
Cannot Stop The Power
Of The Omnipotent God?

What For
Is Man's Arrogance
When He Is Impotent
Against The Omniscience Of The Omnipresent God?

One Day
Oh, Impudent Impotent Man
One Day
Before The Eternal Holy God
You
For Your Own Judgment
- Before The Judge Of The Earth -
Will Stand
To Give An Accounting
To Him Who Made Your Memory
Who Has Records
Of Every Living
Dead Man's Story?

When Before Your Judge You Appear
Will Your Vaunted Arrogance
Your Lofty Importance
Help You
When
The God Of Truth
In Sentence
Upon You Declares:

Depart From Me!

I Know You Not

For

In The Book Of Life

Your Name Is Found: NOT!?

Rejoice!

All Classless
Unimportant
Unloved
Poor Peaceful Polite
Lovers Of The Living God
You Walkers In The Light!

Rejoice!
For Your God
Has Already Won For You The Fight!

Rejoice!
That For God
You Suffered
Abuse And Disdain
That The Arrogant Against God
Had You In Chains
AND
That The Lovers Of Self
Hated You In This World!

Rejoice!
For The Holy God
In Righteousness
In Might
In Victory
Will Come
AND
Herald You
Into The Glorious Land
Of Eternal Holy Light
Where You Shall Live
AND
Reign
With The God In Whom Is No Night!

Our Sorrows In The World

May Last For A Day

BUT

Our Heavenly Joys

Last For The Eternal Morning!

No Cash In Heaven!

Ambition For Power
Ambition For Place
Has Given To Satan
A Seat In Church Men's Hearts
A Mark On Each Face!

Lord Jesus! Have Mercy!
What A Living Disgrace!

Who Is The Father?
Who Is His Only Son?
Who Is The Holy Spirit?

You Don't Know!?!

Then ...

How Will You The Eternal Destination Race Run?

If You Don't Know Your Glorious Father
If You Don't Know The City Builder -  The Redeemer, His Son
If You Don't Know Your Comforter - His Holy Spirit
How Will You Stand 
At The Final Setting Of The Sun?

Hot Sun Is Not God!
Cold Moon Is Not God!
Whirling Stars
The Earth
Nor The Elements Thereof - As gods
Can Save Neither Me Nor You
At The End Of The Race Run!

Neither Cash Nor Crowns
Power Nor Praise
High Living Nor Low Ways
AND
No Matter How Much Envy Of You
Is In Others
On The Day Of Redemption
Only Those With Jesus-Credit
Will Be The Ones
Immortal
Whole
To Heaven Rising Up!

Saints Live On Jesus-Credit!
Sinners Exist On Do-As-You-Will Satan-Cash
AND
On The Day Of Redemption
Cash Carriers Will Receive
From The Sword Of The Word
The Decimating Slash!

There Is No Cash In Heaven!
In Heaven There Is No Pharisee Leaven!
Only Those Who Stand
On The Word - Salvation's Rock
Will By Faith
Have Cashed In
Their Eternity Stock!

Are YOU On The Rock Steady

OR

Are You Falling
Drinking Babylon's Wine?

Cataloging My Treasure-Pleasures

I Was Going On A Shopping Spree!
Many Things Were Available For Free!
Even More Things Were Available ... For A Fee!

I Did Not Need A List!
I Was Getting All
I Could Get In My Fist!
Everything I Saw
Looked So Delish
And Was As Beautiful As I Could Wish!

Pen Paper
Book Bag
Dress Jacket
Oh, And Chocolate
On Which I Could Fair Gag!

House Car
Furniture Drapes
Pots Pans
Utensils
Treasures To Make Envious Neighbors Gape!

I Shopped!
How I Shopped
And My Shopping Only Stopped
When
Exhausted
I Fair Dropped!

I Cataloged All My Treasures
BUT
I Was Not Well Pleased!
Something Was Missing
But What
You Will Not Believe!
I Bought All Things For Cash Money
And Some For Usurious Credit, Too
But Nothing Of My Purchases
Were Of The Cost-Free Kind
I Honestly Tell You!

No Peace!
No Hope!
No Blessing Of Rest!
No True Sin Repentance!
No Soul Confession!
No Salvation For The Blessed!
No Character Of Christ!
No Hope For Heaven Assured!
No Love For Brother Sister!
No Striving For The Approval Of God!

Every Thing That I Purchased
Had A Marked Expiration Date
Meaning That Its Replacement
Will Be Coming Soon Or Late!

Everything I Owned Is Perishable!
It Billed The Cost To Me
And Everything That Is Lasting
To Me Is Marked: "FREE!"
BUT
To Jesus Christ 
A Terrible Terrible Fee!

I Looked At Me - My Self!
Head Down
I Looked At Jesus' Feet!
I Had Never Seen Anything In My Life
So Blessedly Sweet
For
From
The Holes In His Feet
To The Palms Of His Hands
The Gash In His Side
The Scars On His Brow High
Spoke
About Everything
That Is Wrong With Me
AND
Speaks Of Everything
That Is My Gift
Of God
IF
I Answer
The Soft Plea!

I Reordered My Priorities!

Heaven Home
Healing
Rest Peace
The Promises Of God
Are All On Top!
AND
By Living In For The Lord Jesus
I Can Will Never Be A Flop!

I Put The World On Mute!
I Put The Word On Blast
AND
I Am Walking The Narrows
For
On Jesus Christ
My Lot Is Cast!

Please Know That

The Value Of The Valuables

Of

A Life Of Worldliness

Is Of No Value

To A Life Of Godliness!

Let Us Appreciate The Difference!

Suffering Loss ... + PRAYER: Father, I Don't Know How To Pray

How Do You Live
When You Are Going To Die?

How Do You Laugh
When You Are Going To Cry?

How Do You Sing
When There Is No Song Within
AND
Loving Ain't So Easy When Your Heart Is Aching?

How Do You Care
When You Have Nothing To Share?

How Do You Lie
When The Truth Has You Quaking?

How Do Believe
When Your Faith Has No Seed
AND
Appearing To Stand Tall
Seems Like You're The World Trying To Deceive?

How Do You Pray?
How Do You Say
Father, Dear Father
Is There No Other Way?

Oh, Lord,

I Don't Know How To Pray!

Father,

Are You Even There?

Help Me

My Life Has Lost Its Song

And It Seems As Though

Everything Is Going Wrong!

Lord,

I Don't Feel Like Trusting You

But

Trusting You, I Surely Do!

I Don't Feel Like Praising You

But

Praise You Lord, Is What I Do!

I Don't Feel Like Going On

But

I Am Going On, Lord

For I Have Proved

Time And Again

That You Are Never Wrong!

Father,

Pity Me

In My Dread Plight!

Father

Pity Me

For My Eyes Have No Sight!

Father,

Bless Me

Despite This Dark Day's Night

And

Carry Me On

To Delight In Your Holy Light!

Have Mercy, Dear Lord

On Me!

I Love You, Father!

AMEN

Sitting On The Ladder!?

I Was Climbing The Ladder
Up To The Kingdom Of God!
Each Rung Was Equidistant!
Each Rung Anchored By The Word!

Each Day I Learned A New Lesson!
Each Week I Gleaned New Rewards
For
I Was Doing Right In The Name Of The Master
AND
I Wasn't Playing Games With The Fraud!

Some Days Were Filled With Laughter!
Some Days Were Filled With Tears!
Some Days There Were Disappointments
AND
Some Days Were Filled With Cheers

AND ...

Through It All
My Heart Was Rested 
Contented
FOR
I Was Totally Dependent 
Upon The Lord

UNTIL ...

The Day
I Started  Resting More
AND
Climbing Less!

I Really Felt Like A Champion
For
My Cheering Squad
Was Carrying Me

So ... I Felt

There Was No Reason To Walk 
On My Own Feet
When
In Jesus Christ
I Was Blessed And Replete!

This Continued For A While
Until I Noticed Something Strange
I Was On Jacob's Ladder
BUT
I Was Feeling The Heat
From Beelzebub's Flames!

I Had Forgotten
That Faith Without Work Is Dead
Just Like A Body Without A Spirit
Is Nothing More Than Lead!

I Stopped!
I Really Really Stopped
And Took Inventory Of My Self
AND
I Realized
That Instead Of The Ladder
I Was On A Shelf
Surrounded By
Sin Shame
Self Blame
Defection Dejection
Base Hoards
AND
Binding Chains!

My Eyes Flared!
My Heart Raced!
My Voice Croaked!
My Will Waned
AND
I Was In Peril
For I Had Wandered Away
From My God
AND
I Had Become The Perfect Magnet
For
The Decimating Lord!

I Cried!
I Confessed!
I Repented
AND
I Left The Shelf
By The Grace Of The Living God
AND
I Am Again Moving
Toward
The Home Of The Blessed!

I Acknowledge
AND
I Accept
That
In The Service Of The Lord
One Must Keep Moving
Oiled By The Spirit
OR
Like Old Iron
Get Rusty ... But In The Chest!

Iron Needs Lubricating
To Maintain Its Efficacy!
The Worker For The Master
Must Make Him Their Spirit Soul Body-Buddy!
No Connection - No Warmth!
No Heart - Soul Cold!
No Love - Great Lost!
Self-Reassigned To The Goat Host!

If I Should Climb Higher
I Must Keep Away From The Fire!
I Must Keep Looking To The Son
AND
Set Aside That Which Is Modernity's 
Treats And Pleasures
Popularly Called Fun!

No Man Can Serve Two Masters!
A Body Cannot Straddle A Fence
For
A Single Slip
Cuts One Down The Middle
AND
Someone Soon Plays "Taps!"
On The Mourner's Fiddle!

By Pleasing God
I Am Pleased With Myself!
It Will Offend The Other
BUT
I Will Gain The Heavenly Reward
From The Holy One Who Matters!!

Saints Don't Sit!

*********

There Is No Sitting On The Ladder

For

Ladders Are Made For Climbing
So

Get Moving With Jesus

AND

By Faith

Climb!

CLIMB!

CLIMB!!