CHRISTIAN JOURNEYS: The Songs Of Faith We Sing

Dear Ones,

If We But Take The Time, We Would See That The Great Song Writers Of The Christian Faith Painted Musical Pictures Of The Journey That Is A Christian's Lot! 

I Have Taken The Liberty To Thread A Few Of Those Pictures Together!

I Pray That You Will  Appreciate The Beautiful Scene That Unfolds!

Betty



My "It Is Well With My Soul!"
Is Attended By
The Blessed Assurance
That Peace Like A River Is Flowing
For I Am
Saved By Grace!
God Said It
AND
I Believe It!

Heavenly Sunshine!
God Is Divine!
Jesus Is The Rock!
Salvation Is Mine!

Angel Voices Ever Singing
Ring The Bell
Announcing
The Lord In Zion Reigneth!
He Is The King!
Glory! Glory!
Hallelujah To Lamb!

God Is So Good
For
Rescuing The Perishing!
Reviving Us Again
So That New Life May Be Obtained!
Tell The Good News!
Oh, What A Savior!
Jesus Christ Is Lord!
He Is Coming Again!

It Won't Be Long Now
Until
The Sky Shall Unfold!
Oh, Lord, Prepare Me
In Peace
Your Face To Behold!

I Was Bought With A Price
Not Gold!
Not Silver!
Good News! Good News!
Jesus Is Mine!
I Am On The Glory Road!

Praise The Lord!
Jordan Rolls!
The King Of Love
Is The Loving Shepherd Of The Sheep!
The Separating Line
Is Mine To Cross Over!
There's Nothing Between
My Lord And I!

Amazing Grace!
I Surrender All!
Because He Lives
A New Song I Sing!
Redeemed! Redeemed!
I Love To Proclaim It!
Tell It To The World
I Am Not Ashamed Of My Lord!

Why Me, Lord?
One Day
I Asked The Lord, Plain!
10,000 Reasons
For Love 
Was When
God, And God Alone
By Calvary's Cross
Became
My Forever Friend!

Like a River Glorious
Let The Fire Fall!
Glorious Things Of Thee Are Spoken
On The Gospel Train!
We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder
So Send Down Upon Us Rain
Showers Of Blessing
In Drops Of The Love
That We Can't Explain!

Lift High The Cross!
AND
Hold The Fort!
The King Is Coming
Who Once They Mocked And Scourged!
Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!
Call Aloud The Name!
This Is My Story
AND
I Am Not Ashamed!

Precious Memories!
Shout To The Lord!
I Will Rise Again!
Praise His Holy Name!

I Am Changed!
Mercy Saw Me!
The Lord Is My Light!
I Fight The Good Fight!
Prayer Changes Things!
Ho! Everyone That Thirstest!
I Waited On The Lord
AND
This Little Light Of Mine
Shines!

Open Our Eyes, Lord!
Have Thine Own Way!
We Want To See Jesus
The Composer And Conductor
Of The Universe!
We Are Marching To Zion!
Let The Gates Open Wide!

Be Still, My Soul!
Jesus Calls Us!
He Knows It All!
Jerusalem Awaits!
Jesus, Friend Of 
Little Children
Lead Me, Savior!
Thro' The Shining Gate!

God Be In My Head!

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence!

Whosoever Will

Hail, Sovereign Love!

Rejoice, Oh, Land!

Remember All Ye People

Jesus Saves!

Trust And Obey!

***********

Lead Kindly Light!

HIGHER EDUCATION : Almost Christian

2 Peter 1

2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

They Went To Christian High Schools
They Were Raised In Christian Homes
Where They Were Prepared For Life
Here And Now
AND
Here After
Building Blocks Set Up
To Mold Them
And Form A Good Christian Character
Preventing Them From
Toward Unbelief And Sinning To Roam!

Joying In Christ Jesus
They Then Set Out
On Their Tertiary Education Journey
AND
All It Took
Was One Semester's Study
To Shake The Faith Of Jesus
In A Couple Of The Buddies!

Why Jesus?
What Jesus?
Jesus Was Just A Good Man!

Unto

One Calling Jesus An Outright Fiction
Another Calling Himself A Christian Humanist
And Another Calling Herself
A Conscious Human!

There Is Something Very Wrong
In Christianity
AND
Christian Churches
AND
Christian Homes
When Our Christian
Young People Can Be So Easily Convinced
To Join The Unbelieving
AND
Even The Satanic Herd
Caught Up In Visions
Journey's Into Alternative Realities
AND
Walking Through Doors
To Experience The Unknown!

As Christians
We Know
There Is No Magic!
We Know
That Angels
AND
Demons Are Real!
We Know That Words Have Power
AND
We Know That We Must Hold
The Almighty In Godly Fear!

We Know Not To Walk Maliciously Into Darkness!
We Know That Satan Can Manipulate Reality!
We Know Satan Can Alter The Weather
AND
Can Scare The Very Life Out Of A Body!

We Know That Satan Is A Teacher!
We Know That He Is A Bible Worker, Too!
We Know That He Is A Fox 
A Snake
AND
A Salesman
AND
A Writer
A Manipulator
A Counterfeiter
AND
A Straight-up Liar To Boot!

Satan Is An Everyman
AND
The Friend Who Always Has Money
For Any Escapade
AND
He Is Always The One
After A Bout Of Trouble
Who Always Escapes
Unscathed!

THAT, Dear Ones ... Is Soon To End!

Friends,
If You Want To Detect A False Jesus
You Don't Study False Jesus' To Detect The Fraud!
You Immerse Yourself
AND
Study Ad Nauseum
The Original
So That Your Senses AND Reason AND Faith
Will Know
AND
Recognise
The False Jesus On Show!

If 

The Almost Church

Is Selling

Almost Jesus

Almost Salvation

Almost Forgiveness

Almost Mercy

Almost Grace

And

Almost Truth

Then

It Stands To Reason

That The Almost Christian

Will Almost Have Jesus' Faith!

Almost Saved
Is Surely Dead
In The Second Resurrection!

Just Think Of:

"Ye Shall Not Surely Die!"

The Shortest Sermon
Which Has Resulted In Mankind
For 6,000 Years
Unto To This Day
Dying Like Sprayed Flies!

When We Almost Know Jesus
Rainbow Coloring
Will Adorn His Dear Face!
Problem Is
There Is A Thief's Surprise Coming
That Will Scar
AND
Mark Most
To Eternal Disgrace!

Jesus Christ
The Holy God
King Eternal
Cannot Be Molded To Our
Beloved Proclivities
AND
Following An Everyman Jesus
Is Going To Cost Us Heaven
Because
We Will Have Been Blanketed In
Rabidly Real-Sin Fleas!

All Men Are Sinners!
All Men Hear The Voice Of God!
All Hear The Voice, Too
Of King Vicious
Satan
The Murdering Liar
Recasting Lies As Almost Truth!

Almost Truth = Lie

Almost Lie = Lie

Lie = Lie

Truth = Truth

Heaven Hell
Live Die
Satan Jesus
Truth Lie
All These Are Absolutes
AND
The Choice Is Ours To Make
For Neither Jesus Christ Nor Damned Satan
Can Our Hand Force Nor Fake!

Calling And Election

BALLOT

ETERNAL STAR:

1. Heaven

2. Live

3. Jesus Christ

4. Truth

ETERNAL SCAR:

1. Hell

2. Die

3. Damned Satan

4. Lie

I Am Voting ETERNAL STAR
For A Straight Ticket!

What About You?!

Walking Along
Burdened
On The Lonely Road
With Jesus Christ For Companion
Is The Best Thing A Christian Can Do
For Jesus Christ Carries The Christian
AND 
His Heavy Load, Too!

PSALM 3: The Choice To Believe There Is Security In Almighty God Is Mine!

Today
The Lord Opened My Eyes
AND
I Acquired Sight
AND
Knew Of A Truth
That Psalm Three Is True
For I Had Personally Lived It
Through Many Dark Days And Nights!

Consider ...

  

Consider Also ...

I Remember
Vividly
Sleeping With
And Cuddling A Physical Demon
To My Bosom!

I Remember
Church Members Asking Me
How I Was Dealing With The Evil!

Yup!
The Word Was ... Out There!!

I Remember
Telling All Who Would Listen That:

I Believed In The Living God!
Not A Plaster Saint!
Not A Paper Saint!
That My God Did Not Sleep!
That He Did Not Have Any God-children
Grandchildren
Nor Stepchildren!
That I Said My Prayers!
That I Accepted The Word Of The Lord
Which Said:

Stand Still ... And See Your Salvation!

For I Had Heard
The Spirit Of God Saying That To Me!

I Told Them That The Living God Reminded Me:

To Look ...
Not Towards That Evil One's Faults
But ... Towards His Needs!
AND
To Pray For Those That Dispitefully Use You
And Abuse You
No Matter How They Do It!

I Chose
By Faith
To Give God All The Glory
All The Honor
All The Praise
All My Trust

AND ...

I Prayed Faithfully
AND
I Gave My Back
To That Devil In Man's Skin
AND
In Jesus' Dear Name
- Under The Protection Of The Holy Angels -
I Slept The Sleep Of The Just!

I Did Not In My Heart
Know Or Cherish 
Physical Fear!

In My Mind
I Recognized
AND
Then Spoke About The Fact That
If God Through Jesus Christ Did Not Love Me
If I Was Not One Of His Favorite Children
Satan - Through His Willing Operative -
Would Not Have Been Rabidly Opposing Me
Seeking To Physically Destroy Me!

A Song Was In My Heart
For  

My God Was 
AND
Is To Me 
Ever Available!
I Am His Sheep
AND
I Am By Him
Daily
With Good Things Fed!

It Takes Two To War
AND
My Side Of The War
My Army
Was Headed By King Jesus
For
The Enemy Was Raging Like A Flood
And I Knew I Battled Not With Flesh And Blood!


Evil Agilely Cursed My Head
But ... Jesus!
Amen?
AMEN!

Don't Get Me Wrong!
There Were Days
When I Totally Forgot Whose Child I Am
AND
Behaved In Abominable Fashion
But
There Were Many More Days
That I Surrendered My Soul To God
- Jesus Christ Be Praised -
AND
My Little Light Shone!

My Victory Was By Jesus!

Demons May Rage At Us
But
They Cower At The Name Of Jesus Christ!
So

Take Courage, Dear Brethren:

Hope Thou In God

For He Is Ever Faithful!

Hope Thou In God

For He Is The Blessed Friend!

Hope Thou In God!

The God Of All Creation

For

He Is The Open Door

And

His Promises Are Sure!

Sin Is The Curse

And

Jesus Christ The Cure

Hope, Dear Brethren
In God!

I Did!
I Do!
AND
I Am Winning
For
The Lover Of My Soul
Is
God's Only Begotten
Sacrificed-for-Me Dear Son
Who Has A Peaceful Pasture
For The Children Of The Faith
Waiting
On The Distant Shore!

Let No One Steal Your Hope Tree!

CHRISTIAN: Tagged Or Living!

I Refuse To Be Tagged
A Spiritual Gangster!
I Refuse To Be Marked
A Jesus Fanatic!
My Preferred Appellation Is:

Jesus Christ-Following

Bible-Believing 

Fundamentalist

Who Loves And Trusts The Unseen God

And

Lives Faithfully

In Hope-For-Heaven Bliss!

A Fanatic Is Insane!
A Gangster Is A Crook!
I Am Neither
By Nature
Nor Nurture
For
I Stand Upon The Good Book!

I Am Faithful To Jesus Christ
BECAUSE
With My Whole Heart
I Believe That He Is Real!

I Trust In The King James Holy Bible
BECAUSE
I Believe It Is The Preserved Word 
Not The Word Profaned!

I Live In Hope-For-Heaven Bliss
BECAUSE
I Believe That Almighty God
The Unseen And Eternal God
Is True To His Word!

My Faith Has Belief
And Love
And Trust
And Obedience
BECAUSE
I See His Hand
AND
I Feel His Care
For
The Holy Spirit Guides And Chides Me
AND
I Am Protected By Holy Angels
So That I Do Not Walk This World In Fear!

The God Of The Holy Bible
Is Faithful And True
AND
He Sacrificed His All
To Save Me
AND
To Save You
AND
I Accept The Sacrifice
That Is My Salvation Free
AND
I Tell Good Words
To Everybody
Of What A Friend And Savior
Jesus Christ The Lord Is
To Me!

Never A Gangster!
Never A Fanatic!
BUT
A Christ-Follower
A Teachable Sheep
Following The Good Shepherd
Who Searches For
AND
Finds 
AND
Carries Home
Crying Lost Lambs!
I Am Satisfied With My Jesus
For
Sheltered In His Bosom
My Faith Firms
AND
My Heart Is Made Calm!

I Am Living The Name!

What About You?!

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: PRAYER For Unshrinkable Faith

PRAYER:

Father,

I Come Before You As A Child

With The Faith That Let's Me Speak Plain

To Confess That

I Would Prefer To Butt-about

The World

Living Faithfully In You

Than

To Live In An Earthly Mansion

With A Live Devil

Who Takes Pleasure

Daily

In Picking My Goose!

I Prefer To Suffer With The Saints Now

And

Rejoice With Them Later In Heaven

Than To Dwell

In The Wide Tents Of Wickedness Now

And

Seek Later For Mercy

That Will Not Be Forthcoming!

Father,

In Faith

I Desire A Heart That Is Pure

Seeking For Eternal Joys

On The Golden Shore!

Please

Help Me To Send Ahead Treasures

That Cannot E'er Spoil!

I Desire A Will

That Walks With You

And A Spirit

That Is Lit

With The Joy That Comes

After

The Long And Dark Night

On This Cruel Shore!

Father,

Earthly Peace Is Passing

And

The Devils Are Amassing

And

Those Who Would Lead Us

Would Have Our Consciences Be Things

Of The Past!

Pity Us!

Lord,

I Seek The Faith

That Will Never Shrink

The Faith That Stands Firm

Even As Flesh Is On Destruction's Brink

The Faith That Comes

When I Reason With The Lord

And Think

Of The Grace

That Is Sufficient

For Each Day's Tasks

Sufficient To Help Me To Survive

And Overcome

Despite Satan's Wrath!

Father,

I Love You!

I Bless You!

I Honor You, True!

You Are The God Eternal

And

I Wait Upon You

To Keep Me

To Bless Me

To Make Me Anew

And

In The Glad Day

To Take Me

To Highest Heaven

To Live

Eternally

With You!

Teach Me Thy Ways, Oh God

For

My Heart Is Longing After You!

I Make My Petition

In The Name Of The One Who Will Bless

Jesus Christ The Righteous

In Whose Heart

My Life Rests!

AMEN.

The Stumbling Block!

In The Statement:

I AM As Real As You Let Me Be To You!

Is The Stumbling Block!

How Would You Feel
IF
Your Child Said:
I Know That They Are My Parents
BUT
I Do Not Believe They Are My Parents?

OR

Your Husband Or Wife Saying:

I Know I Have A Spouse 
And I Am Consumed By Love For That Person
BUT
I Do Not Believe In The Marriage
AND
Have No Faith In Our Relationship?

What Is The Use Of

Knowledge 

When We Lack Faith And Belief?

*********

How Do YOU Believe 

Jesus Christ Feels

When We Treat Him

The Way

We Have No Desire To Be Treated

In Our Earthly Relationships?

There Is No Magic!
Jesus Christ IS Real
BUT
Because We Humans
Have Free Will
To Walk As We Choose
AND
Make Choices That Will Permit Our Names
To Be In The Evening News
We Use Our Ability
To Permit Reality Into Our Lives
By Degrees
Even If By That Decision
We End Up Humbled
Crying
- Sometimes Even Pleading For Death -
On Our Knees!

Belief!
Or Better
Belief Mingled With Unbelief
In The Multitude
Is The Reason
That Jesus Is Heard Asking:

AND

Saying:

AND

The Kicker:

We Used To Have Full Sight!
BUT
The Sin Of Doubt 
AND 
Presumption 
Cost Us Fore (Forward) Sight
AND
We Now See Things Through A Cloudy Glass!

We Used To Have Real Face-Time With Our Father!

But Now ...

We Must Pray And Plead
The Attributes Of Jesus Christ The Righteous 
To Receive Comfort And Aid
AND
The Blessings Of
Grace And Mercy
AND
Peace And Rest!

Of Note, Though
Is The Fact That
Neither
Allowance For
Nor Lack Of
Faith
Belief
AND
Trust
Will Turn God Into A Myth
Or A Mere Melody!

Our Irrational Desire
Will Not Render
The Eternal God
Of No Force Nor Effect!

Jesus Christ Is!
Jesus Christ Made Us!
Jesus Christ Purchased Reconciliation For Us!
Jesus Christ Is Coming Back To Earth
For That Which Was Lost
AND
Is Taking Back To His Home In Heaven
All Those Who Will Have Chosen
To Be:
Found
Believing
Faithful
Trusting
Reformed
AND
READY!

Take A Look
A Step
A Leap
Of  Faith
AND
In The Day Of Appointment
Be Made Anew
AND
Feel Your Wings
Unfurl
Even As You Are Borne Aloft
By The Love Of The Living God
To The Land Where Love Reigns
Where Light Is Life
Where Eternal Life Is Not A Poem
Where Time Is Forever Passed
Where The Sea Is Glass
Where Streets Are Gold
Where Citizens Cannot Grow Old
AND
Trust Cannot Be Bought Nor Sold
AND
Where The Sheep Are Safe 
In The Father's Forever Fold
AND
Hearts Can Never Again
Wax Cold!

God Is
AND
Whether We Believe 
Or 
Disbelieve
Have No Faith
AND
Refuse To Follow Him
Does Not Change That Fact!

Our God Is Returning
AND
He Will Not Be Silent!