YOU KNOW THE TRUTH: Dare To Be Brave!

Are You Safe!?! 

Do You Know That You Are Safe 
Under The Banner Of The Almighty God 

Or 
Are You Trusting The Say-So
The Personal Experience Of Another Person 

To Know That You Are Safe In The Lord Christ
The Eternal King
The Faithful And Just Judge!?! 

All Who Enter The Kingdom Of Glory 
Will Have Their Own, Personal, Relationship With Jesus

Will Know What He Says

Will Eagerly Do His Will

And 

Will Walk Wisely, From Grace To Glory
Because 

They Know The Voice Of Christ Jesus

Have Made An Unshakeable Commitment To Him

And 

Walk With Assurance In His Word ... According To His Will 

Because Of 

Love, And Real Trust! 

Trust In The Lord 

And 

Be As Mount Zion 

For There Is Where You Shall Eternally Abide! 

Work Your Faith, Experience Life In Christ Here 

And 

Be Blessed Forever With Life With Christ In Zion! 

The Facts Remain ...

We Who Call Ourselves Christians
Have Got To Take A Stand
And
Let The Whole World Definitively Know That
We Are Committed Followers Of
The Son Of The Eternal Holy God
Jesus Christ The Righteous
The Loving Son Of Man!

It Is Getting Toward Crunch Time
And Therefore
Not Time To Grow Weary, Be Afraid, Or Faint
Because
It Is Time To Wear The Whole Armor Of God
As Befits His Living Saints!

You Know Truth: Live It!
You Know The Holy Way: Walk Boldly On It!
You Are A Lamp: Burn Brightly!
Brethren,
It Is Time To Awaken From Sleep
You Who Are Jesus Christ's Faithful Lambs And Sheep!

You Are Not Forsaken: Trust The Promise!
Holy Angels Are Protecting You: Be Brave!
Now Is Not The Time To Be A Doubter
Or To Revert To Being A Sin-Slave!

We Have Perfect Peace!
We Have Available Grace!
We Have Mercy Ever Free
And
We Do, Indeed, Have The Perfect Love Of Our King Jesus
Who To The Father's House Of Joys Forevermore And Rest
Is
The Sure ... The Only ... Key!

Jesus Christ Does For Us What No Created Hand Can
So Dare To Be Brave
And
Reach For The Extended Holy Hand
Which Is So Scarred And So Gentle
Which Is Sheltering Strong
Which Was Extended, Pinned, For Our Salvation
Where For Us Sacrificial Love Is Always Found!
In His Embrace, We Belong!

Dare To Be Brave!
Dare To Hope And Trust!
Dare By Faith To Endure What Must Come
And
Know For A Surety
In The Glad Throng At The Last Trumpet
You Shall Surely Be Found!

Jesus Christ Saves!

COUNTING COUP: Counting Costs

The Lord Chose Me

So I Choose The Lord

And

By His Great Grace

I Shall No More Associate With The God-Fraud!

Jesus Christ Made Sacrifices

To Make It Possible For Me ... For Us

To Appear Before The Throne Of Grace

But

Before That Will Benefit Us

We Must Give Up Everything

That Engenders Our Disgrace!

Everybody Loves To Prate About Winning

About Their Counting Coup

But

I Suggest To Us, Dear Brethren

That Counting Costs 

Would Be Better For Me, For You!

Sacrifice Is A Bad, Bad, Word

According To Those Who Know Not Christ

And

These Are The Very Ones Who Reject Introspection 

And

Fall For The Always Charming

Demonic Device!

What Is Counting Coup!?! 

Good Question! 

Counting Coup Is Tallying One's Victories Over A Personal Enemy

At The Risk Of Injury Or Death! 

Problem Is That Many In The Mortal Strife 

Believe That That Works With Satan!

They "Play" His Game 
And 
Don't See Visible Injury Or Suffer Immediate Death 

So They Dare To Think That They Have Won Something! 

Self-Deceived Is The Worst Kind Of Deception! 

Willful Ignorance Leads To The Lasting Curse!

Jesus Christ Had To Die To Save All Mankind

So What Makes Us Think That 
We Wouldn't Have To Definitely Die To Self 
And 
Decidedly Die To Sin

If We Are To Enter The Living Kingdom!?! 

Brethren, 

Jesus Christ 
And 
Personal Sacrifice Are Synonymous! 
We Are Regenerated Christians
And

The Regenerated Christian 
And 
Personal Sacrifice Should Also Be The Same! 

That Is A Hard Saying: Who Can Bear It!?! 

Since You Ask
Jesus Christ Is Blunt About It:

Travelling To Heaven 

Is Not 

Cheap Or Easy! 

Costs Are Incurred 
And 
Expenses Must Be Paid

But 

Not With Man-Generated Currency! 

We Who Faithfully Follow The Lord Christ 

Must Choose To Endure All Things

And

Give Up Everything

If 

We Will Enter The Holy City! 

Everything!?! 

Everything!
Every Single Solitary Thing As In

Possessions, Position, Property
Privileges, Passions, Pursuits
Progenitors ... And Progeny!

It Has All Got To Be Given The Kibosh! 

We've Got To Let It All Go! 

Jesus Christ ... Our Jesus Christ

Gave Up Glory

The Loving Community Of His Father 
And 
The Heartfelt, Constant, Adoration Of The Holy Angels

His Crown

His Throne

And

His Very Life's Blood

To Purchase For Us The Pardon That Leads To Eternal Life

And 

There Will Be No Doubters
No Fence Jockey 
Nor Wafflers In Heaven! 

Beloved,

Turning Back, For Us, Is Not An Option: Heaven Is Home! 

We Have Joys Forevermore To Enjoy 
So Giving Up What Will Burn Is Necessary:
We Can't Have Both! 

We Must Commit Wholly To Christ Jesus 

To Be Eternally Blessed! 

Without This, We Will Not Know Everlasting Peace! 
To Gain The Hereafter
The Fleetings Thing Of The Here And Now Must Be Released!
From Sin And Self, We Must Cease!

Faith, Beloved
Is 
The Victory Which Overcometh The World!
Your Daily Gift Of Daily Faith ... Utilized
Pays The Daily Operating Costs 
For Heaven To Be Realized!
Work Your Faith
And
Your Faith Will Work!
Think About It ... And Decisively Act
And
Don't Look Back!

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: PRAYING: The Way To Life

Preparing For Duty

And

Marked For Trial

- Being Informed Of The Dire Necessity Of Prayer -

Sought Assistance At Divine Support

A Subsidiary Of Amazing Grace Now

And

Surpassing Glory To Come! 

Wanting To Become Aka To Be Transformed Into 

Braced For Duty

And

Prepared For Trial

These Two Humbled Themselves

Watching And Praying

Praying Without Ceasing

And

In All Things By Prayer And Supplication

They Made Their Requests Unto

The True And Living God

In Their Lord Christ's Holy Name!

They Wanted The Benefits Of 
The Close, Personal, Relationship With Savior Of Man 

So They Adhered To 
And 
Met The Conditions Publicly Enumerated

And

With Working Faith

And

Living Hope 

They Fully Expect To Reap 
The Promised Immeasurable, Known-Eternal, Benefits!

Truth Be Told ... 

The Road Is Long, Narrow, Strait Aka Difficult

But

Glory Be To Jesus

That Same Road Is Straight

Because

The Map-Maker Is True, Faithful, Kind, Blessing, Giving

And

Forgiving!

He Is The All-Knowing One

And

He Is The Forever Friend

Who Heals Hurts

And

Mends Hearts And Lives!

With Him, They Choose To Abide!

Abide ... That's A Pretty Strong Word!

Indeed!

It's The Perfect Word!

To Abide, To Rest, To Be Safe

Sheltered, Protected, Provided For!

I Like It!

Along The Way, They Met Pray So Little

And

So Little Faith!

It Did Not Go Well!
They Refused To Let Prideful Self Get In Their Way
Of Moving From Certain Hope
To Assured Glory!
They Preferred Profitable Prayer To Unprofitable Pride!
They Understood ... Understand That 
To Live With Pride
Is 
To Live A Bold
And
Their Faith In Lord Christ Was Not Having It!

Amazing, Isn't It

When We Want What The Lord Has To Give

But Have No Pressing Desire

To Humbly Pray So That We May Receive 

The Available-For-The-Asking Blessing!

Don't Forget Being Stuck On Self The Sinner ...!

... And Don't Forget The Attitude Of

It'll Be There If ... Or When ... I Need It!

Been There, Done That, Foolish Indeed!

All I'm Saying Is That

We All Could Learn A Thing Or Three

From Good King David! 

I Hear That! 

He Knew How To Pray And ...! 

... He Also Knew How To Confess And Repent 
And 
To Give His God His Due And Necessary Praise! 

Listen To This:

King David Knew His Prayers Were Accepted
Because 

He Knew He Met The Conditions
And
In Gratitude, For Faith, In Need
And
To Give Worshipful Praise

He Prayed Continually! 

Brethren, 

Praying Is Not A Panic Button 

To Be Used Only In Cases Of Emergency! 

To The Committed-To-Christ Christian

Praying Is To Be The Reason For Living

The Way To Life

The Umbilical Cord That Connects Us To Our Lord

Our Creator-God, Our Redeemer, Our Provider

And 

Is To Be A Constant

Our Go-To ... Our Default Position

In All Things In Our Sojourn In This Life! 

Pray Without Ceasing 
Is Not 
A Challenge: It Is A Command! 

Pray, Beloved! 

Roundly Reject Sin! 

Utter Honest Praise! 

Give Heartfelt Thanks

And 

Be Truly Grateful! 

To Remember How To Pray To Our Father In Heaven

Remember The ACTS: 

Adoration

Confession

Thanksgiving

Supplication Aka Ask For What You Need

And 

Do All In Jesus Christ's Holy Name! 
Our Almighty God Is The God Holy:
Take Your Faith To The Throne!

HAPPY SABBATH + SPIRITUAL WARFARE: Body Blows ... And Saving Grace!

In His Conversation With Almighty God

As Regards Job
- A Perfect And Upright Man
Who Feared God And Eschewed Evil
According To The Holy God's Words Of Approbation -

Satan Boldly Declared His Tactics Utilized

To Destroy A Person's Faith In His Creator

Provider, Savior, Redeemer

And

One True Friend!

Satan's Artillery ...

Destroy Faith By Destroying Possessions

Family

Relationships

The Faith Of Those Bound To Us

By The Silken Cords Of Affection

And Then

One's Health Without Which 
- According To The Unbeliever -

We Are Of No Practical Use 
To The Eternal God Of Present Grace

And

Glory To Come! 

The Living Record Proves That Working Faith Wins!

Hear The Right ...

In This One Verse Is Found All The Actions That 

We Need To Perform Towards Jesus Christ The Lord, Our God

If 

We Are To Thwart Satan
In Our Desire To Reach The Glorious Kingdom: 
Walk, Fear, Keep, Obey, Serve, Cleave Aka Cling! 

We Are To Worship Our Almighty God With Our Everything

By Thought, Word And Deed 

Whether It Is Convenient, Practical, Profitable

And 

Popular ... Or Not! 

As The Business Analogy For Commitment Goes

To Get Bacon And Eggs 

The Pig Committed 

But The Chicken Participated! 
One Had Skin In The Game!

Satan

That Unclean, Malevolent, Damned Spirit

Is 

Committed To Your Destruction! 
He Is Not Going To Spare You:
He Has Nothing To Lose!
He Has Nothing Profitable To Gain!
Destroying You Is A Freebie
Because
You Are Loved By The Lord Christ!

Jesus Christ, The Giver Of Life

Has Skin, Sweat, Blood, And Tears
In The Not-A-Game Game Of Life! 

He Already Gave His Precious Life's Blood For You: 
Commit To Him! 
Your Body Blows Received And Well Borne ... In Faith
Are Your Badges Of Honor!

Put The Rod Of 
Faith-Filled Prayer In Your Spine ...

Stand Up For Jesus In All Things 

And 

Be Blessed With Eternal Life! 

Keep Yourself From Idols

The Ignorance Of Doubt And Disbelief

The Idolatry Of Presumptuous Sin

And

Cease Your Wandering

And

Your Wondering! 

Wander No More:
Wanderers Follow The Prevailing Winds ... Of Change!
There Is No Variableness
Or Shadow Of Turning In Almighty God!

And

Wonder No More: Jesus Christ, Alone
Saves And Seals
And
Heals Our Griefs And Hurts, And Sorrows
And
Reveals All That Will See Us Arriving Safely
In The Never-Ending Day!

Jesus Christ Is Salvation!

Jesus Christ Sacrificially Loves His Children:

You Are A Child Of Christ The King! 

You Are Blessed Beyond Measure:

Acknowledge It Boldly

And

Walk Holy! 

Your Father ... Our Father ... Is Coming! 

Get Ready And Stay Ready! 

A Glorified, Immortalized, Incorruptible Body

- Just Like Our Lord Christ's -

Awaits The Enduring Overcomers:

You Get A New Gift-Supply Every Day
So Keep The Holy Faith By Using Your Daily Faith! 

Peace!

 

THE FORMULA: The Struggle Of The Christian

Brethren,

This Is How The Formula
For The Struggle Of The Christian Goes:

Sense Aka What I Feel 

Versus Faith Aka What I Daily Receive, Have And Exercise

And
Fear Aka Ungodly Fear

Versus Hope Aka The Lord Is My Portion Saith My Soul

Therefore Will I Trust In Him! 

The Blessed Assurance!

What The Christian Often Does ...

He Complains To The Lord About His  Present Conditions

And Then 

He Remembers Whose Child He Is
And
He Immediately Comforts Himself 
Regarding His Future Estate

And

Life Being What It Is
He Recycles, Rinses, And Re-Uses
His Complaints And His Comforts 
- We Need To Study About The Prophet Jeremiah -

And Ultimately

Watching, Waiting, Faith That 
Works Because Of Love ... Wins!

The Facts Remain ... 

I Am ... You Are ... A Christian!
We Are Christians
And
I Pray To The Father That That Is
 By Name And By Nature!

Let's Make This Really Personal!

I Have Personal Experience!

I Know The Lord!

He Hears ... And Answers ... My Prayers
And

I've Seen His Hand Work In The Lives Of Others!

The Father Is Faithful

And He Has Promised ... In Blood

Never To Leave You Nor Forsake You!

The Lord God Almighty Says:

 Pray!

Trust!

Believe!

Be Obedient!

Endure ... To The End!

Even In The Low Dungeon ... That Place Of Despair

With No Lower Place To Descend To Than Death

I Will Raise My Voice In ... Lamentation

Then A Psalm Of Praise

And

Then I Will Share The Wisdom 
Found In Isaiah 41: 10, 13, 14

Because 
I Have Living Experience

And

I Will Rest In The Song Of Solomon 

And 
In The Book Of Daniel The Prophet
And
In The Revelation Of Jesus Christ The Righteous
By The Hand Of Apostle John The Aged!

In Short
We Are To Recognize And Know That We Have A Future!

Indeed!
I Know That I Have An Expected End
And
So Do All Of Us Who Choose To Accept The Promise!

The Father  ... By The Master

Has Promised All His People

A Prepared Home In Glory Land!

My God Is Omniscient!

My God Hears All!

My God Sees All!

My God Knows All!
My God Is In All!

My God Judges All

But 
As For Me

Because I Trust In Him ... In His Living Word

Because I Claim ... Believe ... The Promises

Because I Know His Hand

Of Love

Of Chastisement

Of Correction

Of Protection

Of Direction

Of Providence

Of Blessing ... For Confession Of Sin

For Repentance For Known Sin

For Choosing Him As My Everlasting Portion

Who Knew Me Before I Was

Who Ordained My Position

Who Called Me To His Side

He Shall Be ... He Is ... My King

My Lord, My God, My Hope, My Help

My Salvation 

My Redeemer

And

I Shall Press On To The Mark

To My High Calling

Because 

My God Ever Lives To Make Intercession For Me

And

I Personally Know He Cares For Me ... Personally!

We Should All Be Personalizing This Effort! 

Our Father Says: Children, Fear Not! 
Our Faith Says: Father, We Trust Your Word! 
Our Feelings Say: But, What If!?! 
Our Enemies Say: There Is No God! 
Our Hope Says: In Godly Fear Is Great Reward! 
Our Obedience Says: I Know In Whom I Believe
And 
I Live For Him Who Cares For Me! 

The Lord Is My Light ... My Salvation
And 
The Strength Of My Life
And 
I Will Not Be Afraid 
Because 
He Knows My Name, My Voice
My Heart, My Condition
And
I Know His Sacrificial Love
And 
I Will Lovingly Do As He Lovingly Bids Me! 

I Trust In Jesus Christ The Lord 
And 
I Will Endure All Things 
For He Is Health And Cure! 
I Will Not Fear Man Nor The Devil: 
I Hold The Living God In Godly Fear
And 
I Will Unceasingly Pray! 

Jesus Christ Is My ... Is Our ... Perfect Peace! 

Peace Be Still!
Oh, How Glorious It Is To A God
In Whom We Can Trust To Strengthen Us ...!

... And Trust To Carry All Of Our Burdens
As Long As We Trust And Obey His Word!

Brethren,

To Reiterate And Reinforce
Please Recognize The Viable Keys To The Kingdom:

Trust The Word ... Not The Lying Eye! 
Obey The Will Of God 
And 
Don't Walk In The Corrupt, Selfish, Self-Pitying Way! 

When You Trust And Obey

You Will Endure!

The Lord Has Made The Way Plain ... And Perfect!

Oh, That Men Would Praise The Lord 
For His Goodness To The Children Of Men! 

Let's Thank God For Grace Now
And Coming Glory To Share!

Indeed!
He Is Good ... And Forever Faithful! 

SIN OF PRESUMPTION: Covetousness

Covetousness Is Presumption! 

There Is The Old Saying:

Covetousness Is A Curse

And

Licorishness Makes It Worst!

There Is The Word Of God:

Covetousness Is Idolatry

And No Idolater Nor Covetous Person

Shall Inherit The Kingdom Of God!

The Lord Has Made It Abundantly Clear That

He Will Never Leave Us Nor Forsake

And

That He Will Provide For Us

According To His Riches In Glory!

I Ask Us All:

Where Is The Faith, The Hope, The Trust!?!

Why Are We Christians Indulging In Worldly Lust!?!

We Need To Recognize, Brethren

That There Is Good Lust

And There Is Bad 

And

We Need To Know The Difference

And

Practice That Which Will Cause Our Savior

Over Our Decision To Be Glad!

Brother Billy, 
I Don't Understand How Covetousness 
Could Be Both Good And Bad

When The Word Says That
You Can't Get Sweet Water And Bitter Water From The Same Souce

With The Apostle James Also Stating That

Blessing And Cursing Shouldn't Come From The Same Tongue!

Very Good Points, Danette!

Let's Figure This Out Together!

Achan Coveted Forbidden Gold
Silver And A Babylonish AKA Worldly Garment!

Was This Good!?!

That Was Very Bad! 

He Caused The Unnecessary Deaths Of God's People

And He Lost The Goods Coveted And His Own Life!

Prophet Balaam Coveted King Balaam's Treasure 
Even Though It Was The Forbidden Reward 
For Doing A Disobedient Work!

Good Or Bad!

Bad! Real Bad!

His Wickedness Cost 24,000 People Their Lives Up Front

And For His Trouble

Both He And His Evil Paymaster 
Perished In War Against Their Despised Targets!

Are We Learning Anything Yet!?!

I Know That I Am:

Covetousness Doesn't Profit!

Well Said!

Those Were Old Testament Cases!

Now We Shall See If The Law Of God Has Changed

And

"Made" New Testament Covetousness A "Baptised-Good" Thing!

Let's Consider The Close Companion Of Christ

The Bag Man Aka Accountant

Aka In-house Thief, Judas Iscariot

The Betrayer!

Judas Coveted Perishable Silver

And Sold Out Eternal Gold

To Get What He Could, Would, Never Spend ...!

... This Was Bad, Bad, Bad!

10,000 Times Bad ... And Inordinately Foolish!

He Lived With God In The Flesh

And Still Said There Was No God

By Believing That He, A Mere Man

Could Set, As In Direct, The Lord's Calendar

Life And Times!

Very True!

This Brings Us To ...!

... I Know! I Know!

Ananias And His Confederate Wife, Sapphira!

Those Two Lied To The Holy Spirit

And Those Two Swiftly Died For Their Lies!

Indeed!

Theirs Was Folly Of The Highest Order!

They Were Coveting The Praise Of Man

Over A Gift That They Freely Chose To Give To God

To Get The Praise Of Men

For A Gift They Gave To God With One Hand

And 
Blithely Took Back With The Other!

Just Hearing You Say That Is Twisting My Tongue!

Sincerity Before God Is A Serious Business!

Now That We Know What Bad Covetousness Is

What Would You Say Is Good To Covet!?! 

The Things Of God

Things That Don't Perish ...!

... Things That Elevate Us And Draw Us Closer To Christ!

Prophesying ... Teaching The Word

Being Blessed To Bless Others ... In Jesus' Holy Name

And Seeking After Skills Or Gifts 
To Be Used To Enhance The Work Of Spreading The Good News

Covetousness Was Introduced Into Heaven By Satan

And
Promulgated And Practiced On Earth

And

It Shall Be Terminated By Jesus Christ The King

When He Shall Cast All Its Adherents 
Into Hell At The Third Coming

When He Will Deal With Those Who Get Up

At The Second Resurrection

Those Whose Names Are Not Found Recorded

In The Lamb's Book Of Life!

Brethren, 

The Choice ... As Always
Is 
Personally Each Man's Own

No Force

No Coercion!

We, Each, Must Choose To Believe ... Or Not

That The Lord ... The Word Made Flesh

Is 
True And Faithful

Ever Keeping His Word Of Promise!

There Is No Straddling The Fence!

Believe ... Or Doubt

But Don't Ever Waffle!

Believers Are Blessed!

Doubters Minds May Change!

Wafflers Are Neither Coming Nor Going

And As Such

Are Good Only For The Burn Box!

They Are Double-Minded ... Unstable

Therefore ... Unprofitable

Useless 

Condemned 

Damned!

The Lord Can Relieve Honest Doubts

If We Are Willing To Be Convinced!

Think About It:

Presumptuous Sin Is Deadly, Twice! 

You, A Mere Mortal, Being Willfully Disobedient
Tempt Almighty God 
By Demanding He Save You From The Folly Of Doing 
What He Didn't Ask 
And
You Act As God
Demanding The Real God Do What You Command! 

Disobedience Is As Witchcraft, A Sin
And 
Acting As God Is Idolatry ... False Worship
Which Is Also A Sin! 

Covetousness Is Also Idolatry! 

We Are To Have Total Faith And Trust In God 

And 

We're Never To Test ... Tempt ... Almighty God 
In A Foolish Effort To Prove His Faithfulness! 

Satan Tried This On Jesus! 

Jesus Christ The Lord ... Our God Holy

Put Satan In His Place With The "Thus Saith The Lord!" 

Please Don't Let The Lust Of Your Flesh 
Incite You To Offend The Almighty 

And 

Sin Against Your Own Soul! 

The Lord Has Given Us His Holy Law 
And 

He Has Given Us His Promise Of Care: 
For All Your Needs
Let These Be Sufficient!