VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: FICTION FRUIT 'N FACTS: Sin Has A Cost + PRAYER: Forgive Me, Lord

I Was Looking At Myself
And One Day I Saw
Me
Bargaining
With The Lord
And When
Through The Spirit
I Realized What It Was I Had Been Doing
I Knew That I Was Going
Down
The Wrong Path!

In Shame
I Asked My Self:

How Do You Bargain
With The One Who Made 
You
AND
Who Maintains You 
As A Soul Living?

How Do You Bargain
With The One Who Gives 
To You Highest Heaven
As The Blessed Attainment 
For Your Soul?

How Can You Bargain
With The One Who Holds 
The Planet 
Your Home
In The Palm Of His Hand?

How Do You Bargain
With The God Who Knows
The Numbers 
Of Every Beach's Grains Of Sand?

How Do You Bargain
With The God Who Numbered 
The Strands Of Hair On The Head
That You Are Now Holding In Your Hand?

How Do Your Bargain 
With The God Who Knew 
You
Before You First Gripped A Finger
On Your Mother's Hand?

Ashamed
I Turned To My Father
The God Of Heaven And Earth
AND
With Tears Of Contrition
I Said To My Lord:

Father,

I Was Bold

And I Fearlessly Believed

That I Could Bargain With Thee!

I Was Foolish, Dear Father!

I Spoke Arrogantly!

I Indulged Myself In Presumption

Behaving As Though

We Were Mates!

I Was Behaving Like The Very Devil

Whose Sin You Surely Hate!

Father, I Am Sorry!

Forgive Me, I Pray!

Turn My Heart

From That Consuming Broad Way

And Guide Me

Along Your Straight And Narrow Way!

Father, Help Me

To Accept

What I Receive From You

In The Reading Of Your Word

And Help Me To Stop Trying 

To Be A Big Head

Acting Like The Intelligent

Know-It-All's Of The World

Who Are By Satan Fed!

Father, I Desire To Walk 

As Your Compliant Child

No Longer Willing

To Walk On The Wicked And Wild Side!

Lord,

When You Give Me A Biscuit

Instead Of The Loaf Of Bread

For Which I Did Plead

Help Me To Accept 

My Biscuit With Gratitude

Realizing That There Are Others

Who Will Be Grateful

For What I Upon

Daily Freely Feed!

Forgive Me, Lord

For My Presumption

For My Willingness

To Believe I Can Walk

By My Self

And Still Turn To You For Direction

So Humbly 

Yet Lyingly

As I Once Prayed!

Help Me, Dear Father

I Don't Want To Earn Satan's Pay!

Forgive Me, Dear Father

For Heeding Self

And Walking Proud

And Acting The Fool!

I Love You, Lord

Please Continue To Feed Me

With Your Blessed Food!

AMEN

TRUSTING IN SELF: Brewing Your Own Storm

Trusting In Your Own Self

Is Like Riding In A Clown Car

Packed With A Myriad Opinions

Driving

But Going Nowhere

Storm Blowing

Windows Ajar

People Speaking

Words Blown By The Wind

Soaked To The Bone

Heavenly Warmth Faking

Throat Parched

Dry Wind Thirst Slaking

Back Bent

Bulrush Walking-Stick Breaking

Walking Up A Hill

Feet In Quicksand

Bully Boys

One's Teeth Breaking

Paying For A Free Ticket

And

Buying Free Food

And Still Trusting In Self

Even As One's Soul Is

Crying

Dying!

Trusting In Self

Is The Act Of A Desperate Man

Drinking The Juice Of The Damned

Instead Of Trusting

In The Only One Who Can

Deliver 

Peace 

By The Eternal Hand!

If You Are Trusting To Self

STOP!

If You Have Not Yet Done It

DON'T START!

If You Are Contemplating Doing It

STEP AWAY

And

BE DONE WITH THAT!

**********

Self Is The Sin

That Caused Satan's Falling

Into The Belief

That He Was Entitled

To Be In The Know

Of What The Godhead Was Doing!

Self Stopped Satan

From Recognising

That He Could Have Been Forgiven

Before He Went Too Far

And Was From Heaven Driven!

Love Of Self Caused Satan

To Tempt His Own Creator

To Bow Down To His Self

And Thence

To Kill His Lord, Later!

Self Strips Sinners Of Sense

Self Styles Itself As Sane

Self Of Itself Is Known Vain

AND

Self Causes The Judge To Anoint One With Commonsense

Via A Rapidly Applied Cane!

*********

DROP Self

AND

Lift Up The Lord!

HAPPY SABBATH: Faith ... And Belief

I Had Been Approaching Life The Wrong Way!

I Had Been Allowing Circumstance To Have The Say
BUT
I Had A Conversation With God One Day
AND
I Learned
That There Is A Better Way!

Really?!

Really!!

Okay!  Show Me!

What Do Joshua
Elijah
David
Samson
Hezekiah
Elisha
Daniel
Shadrach
Meshach
And Abednego
Have In Common?

Faith?

UNCOMMON FAITH!
They Believed God At His Word!

What Do You Mean?!

Take Joshua.  
God Said That The Battle Was Israel's
AND
As A Token
He Sent Rocks From Heaven 
To Help Destroy Israel's Foes!
In Charity With God
AND
In Faith And Belief
In The Everlasting Word
Joshua
In Determination To Complete The Battle
Said:

Sun Do Not Set!
Moon Do Not Rise!

And ... It Was So!

A Man Of Living Faith!

Take The Hebrew Boys!

Nebuchadnezzar! We Are Not Careful
To Speak To You!
We Will Not Worship Your God!
Our God Will Deliver Us
AND
Even If He Doesn't
We Still Will Not Bow Down!

And Jesus Christ Himself Came Down
AND ...

Saved Them!

Job?!

The Lord Giveth
AND
The Lord Taketh Away!
Blessed Is The Name Of The Lord!

His End Was Better Than His Beginning!
He Received Double What He Had Lost 
For He Maintained His Integrity Before God
Knowing That The Judge Of The Earth Would Do Right!

Elijah?

Called Down Fire From Heaven 
To Consume His Waterlogged Sacrifice!

AND

Prior To That
He Closed Up Heaven 
For THREE And A Half Years
So That It Did Not Rain!

AND ...

He Then In Turn Looked For Rain
AND
The Rains Came!

Elisha?

Asked For The First Born's Blessing 
- A Double Portion Of His "Father" Elijah's Spirit! -
AND
He Got It!

What Are You Changing About Your Self?

I Am Choosing To Believe God Can ...!

Can What?!

Do For Me What I Cannot Do For My Self!

I Am Choosing
- Even In The Face Of Mortal Disappointment -
To Permit God To Bless Me
By Believing In Advance That God Has Blessed Me
Even When What I Desire
Is Denied Me!
I Choose To Let God Lead Me
By My Faith In My Belief In God!

Samson Had Lost His Strength
AND
His Eyesight!
He Asked God
To Give Him Back His Strength
To Accomplish A Job Of Work!
God Blessed His Request
AND
He Levelled A Temple
With Bare Hands
Killing More People
That What He Killed
When He Was In His Prime!

Taking God
At His Word
Is Needful For All Christians
Elsewise
Who Can You Trust For Eternal Life In Eternity
IF
You Cannot Trust God
For Food
Shelter
Provision
Protection!

I Choose
To Trust The Eternal God
To Protect Me
Against The Machinations Of The Fraud
I Choose To Believe
That God Will Make A Way
For Me
As Long As I
Trust
Honor
Worship
Love
AND
Obey!

If God Says He Can
Then I Choose To Believe That He Will!

His Word Says
He Has
A Thousand Ways Of Provision
Which We Knowing Not About!

Lord,

Help Me This Day

To Keep My Big Trust Out

Even As Others Laugh

And

Joke About!

Help Me

Despite The World's Harsh Levity

To Indeed Trust You

With Great Gravity!

AMEN!

*********

I Choose To Believe Jesus Christ!

What About YOU?!

PERSONAL PUZZLER: U-Turns Allowed!

The Following Is A Plan
A Path
A Map
A Journey
A Lamp
A Light
A Wick
A Stick

Some Will Choose The Way!
Some Will Deal With The Devil!
Some Will Want An Attorney!
All Will Deal With The Judge!
Some Will Deal With The King - No Jury!
Many Will Deal With The Executioner
Who Will Act With Fury
Upon Those Who Reject
Jesus Priest
Who Left Glory
To Become The Accursed
The Least
To Teach The Lost
How To Become Liberated
From Satan aka Lord Fleece!

Take A Finger Walk!
Utilize A Think Tack!
You May Explore
BUT 
You Don't Have To
Open Every Door!

If You Are A Believer
Well And Good!

If You Escaped The Deceiver
Was It Because On Christ You Knowingly Stood?

If You Are Looking For The Leader
Try Jesus The Good
BUT
Know That Whichever Path You Take
It Involves A Flood!

Look Into James' Bible AND Learn!
Learn From Your  James' Bible AND Live!
Live For The Lord!
Cut Satan's False Attachment Cords!
Choose To Walk Toward The Lord
With Whom
In Whom
By Whom
There Is Great Reward
AND
Choose To Ignore
False Claims Of Christian Doom And Gloom
AND
Through The Faith Of Jesus Christ
Radiantly Bloom!


Step 1: Thoughtfully Read Every BLUE Line

Step 2: Choose Either To Incline Or To Recline

Step 3: ChooseF Either To Confine Your Actions Or To Define Your Position

Step 4: Choose Either To Conflate Or To Inflate

Step 5: Choose ONE Line Each Of A or B:

A. 
Learn
Licks
Lead
Lean

B. 
Licks To Learn
Learn To Lead
Lead To Licks
Lean Toward
Lean On

Step 6: Build A Ladder
That Will Not Break When Shaken
That Will Not Fall Though Folded

AND

Start Walking
Acknowledging That:

• Mistakes And Accidents Happen
• Malice Sneaks In
• Pride Is A Passion

AND

• Covetousness Is A Sin!

U-TURNS ARE ALLOWED!


Choose Your Choice And Give Hope A Voice:

There Is No Limit To The Number Of Choices You May Make!

• Loving The Lord ... BUT Looking
• Looking For The Lord ... AND Learning
• Learning Of The Lord ... YET Leaning
• Leaning On The Lord ... AND Losing
• Losing For The Lord ... BUT Winning
• Winning For The Lord ... BUT Failing
• Failing Because Of The Lord ... BUT Rising
• Rising Because Of The Lord ... YET Living
• Living For The Lord ... AND Looking
• Looking For The Lord ... AND Waiting
• Waiting For The Lord ... AND Amen!

Your Walk Is Your Own!

Your Destination Is Yours Alone!

By Prayer

You Can Get Jesus Christ

On Your Personal Telephone

And Remember

That With Jesus Christ

You Will Not Walk Alone!

Multiplying By Dividing!

I Suffer No Lack By Giving
For
I Always Get Returns From The Living God
My Giving Multiplies My Receiving
For It Says So In The Eternal God's Eternal Word!

Cast Thy Bread Upon The Water
And It Will Return Unto You
After Many Days!

AND

Give And It Will Come Back To You!

Is What The God Who Sacrificially Loves Us
In His Plain Word Says 
That He Will Unto Us Do!

If The Living God Said It
I Can
Without A Doubt
Believe It
AND
If I Truly Believe
What The Holy Word Says
About Planting Good Seed
I Shall
No Doubt
A Blessed Harvest Receive!

There Is One Caution
That I Must State:
One Does Not Ever Give To Receive
AND
If That Be Our Sole Motivation
Be It Unto All Believers Made Known
That We Are By The Dying Fraud
Dreadfully Deceived!

God Willingly Gave His Only Begotten Son
Who Willingly Gave His Own Life
A Ranson For All
A Free Gift To All
- Which Only A Few Shall Receive -
So That The Fallen Ones' Separation From God
May Be Totally Relieved!

Herein We Have Our Example
Of Giving
All The While Knowing
That The Majority Of  Receivers
Are A Bunch Of Ingrates!

So, Give ...

Even Though We May Not
- Probably Will Not -
Ever Receive Earthly Thanks!
Our Private Giving
Is Recorded By
Rewarded By
The Same God Who Gives Unto Us
Length Of Days
AND
Who Shall Surely All Men
- Grateful Ungrateful -
Unerringly Pay!

Remember ...

God's Prize-Giving aka
Reward Ceremony
AND
Home-Coming Celebration
Is Not Far Distant From Today!

We Have Freely Received
So Let Us Freely Give
Knowing
That Our God Will Bless Us In That Glorious Day
Just As His Inerrant Word Says!

If We Are Blessed

To Have What To Give

Let Us Give

Without Stressing Over

Our Supposed Future Lack By Dividing

For

The Lord Who Blessed Us

Has A Generous Hand

Which Is Likened Unto

A Multi-Fawceted Sieve

And

We Will Always Have Enough

Upon Which To Daily Live!

**********

Pray To God For Enough

For Yourself

AND

A Little Bit More

To Give Unto The Have-Not

AKA

The Poor!

**********

He Who Always Willingly Gives

Always Has Something For Self

And

Something More To Give!

Try It ... And See God Work!

PRAYER: Lord, Lift Me Up

Oh, That Men Would Would Bless Him Who Did Bear The Cross!
Oh, That Men Would Lift Up The Royal Name!
Oh, That Men Would Hold On The Living Hope!
Oh, That Men Would Cast Away Their Common Shame!
Oh, That Men Would Call In Hope And With Faith Unto The Divine
So That In The Great Day
They May Cross The Separating Line!

Oh, That Men Would Wear God's Truth As A Robe!
Oh, That The Gospel Of Truth Would Be The Standard
By Which All Men Walk The Line!
Oh, That Men Would Believe That The Eternal God Is Kind
AND
Trust Not The Word Of Fallen Men 
Who Think False Godhood Covering Themselves Is Sublime!

Dear Lord,

Your Word Is Holy

Wholly Complete!

You Are A God Of Order

And Confusion Has No Place At Your Feet!

Your Word Is Immutable -

You Stride Not On Fickle Feet

And You Give Unto No Man

Bitters

Christened Delicious Treats Sweet!

Your Character Is Inviolable!

You Are The Great I AM!

You Are The God Holy

Not A Rough Goat Called Ram!

You Are The God Of All Graces

The Provider Of Living Peace

The God Of Endless Ages

And

The God Of Eternal Peace!

Dear Lord,

I Come As One Humble

Setting Aside The Way Perverse!

I Come To You, My Father

To Be Cured Of The Curse!

I Come, Lord

Knowing That By My Self

I Shall Stumble

And Ask You

Beloved Master

To Lift Me Up

When I Fumble The Truth

And As A Result

On The Holy Way Stumble!

Father,

I Long To Be As My Jesus!

I Desire To Acquire

The Character Of Christ!

I Have No Love

For The Boisterous Chatter Of Life

And

Desire To Be Helped

To Avoid The  Deceiver's Devilish Devices!

Help Me To Stand Out

When Others Step Up

Seeking To Within Me

Rear Up

Mankind's Unprofitable Ungodly Fear!

By Your Grace, Lord

I Shall Stand Up For Jesus!

I Shall Step Away From Sin!

I Shall Be To My God

A Wholly Willing

Sanctified Person

Standing On The Side

Of Him

Who For Me Died!

I Am Looking Up

For I Am Looking Forward 

To Going Up To Meet Him

Who Is Coming Down

To Receive Me

Who Caused Him

To Die In My Stead!

Lord, Lift Me Up

And Help Me To Not My Salvation

Mess Up!

Please Accept These Petitions

From A Heart Yearning For Thee

For I Love You, Lord!

AMEN.