The Day Love and Life Met

If That Isn't Love

The Day Love and Life Met

– D'Andrea's Story

For as long as D'Andrea could remember, she had always wanted to meet Emmanuel a/k/a Mr. Right. Her Mr. Right! And the day that she finally did meet him, she truly understood what all the girls at the mission meant when they talked about meeting “the one!”

He was not classically handsome. In truth, he wasn't much to look at!

He was tall – but not imposing.

He was dark, and light, and fair, and comfortable-looking.

He wasn't so important that she couldn't get close to, or reach for, him.

He wasn't so cold and formal and judgmental and imposing and intimidating that she would want to pass him by with nary a second look.

He was, well, like Bear Mom's porridge. He was just right! Kinda.

He didn't have a house, or any visible means of transportation.

He had an entourage, and a lot of groupies, and hangers-on but what made him worth knowing was the fact that the two most important big-wigs in the country hated him!

Family by marriage, rich, and politically connected, An Nas and Cai A. Phas, hated anyone who was more popular than themselves, and who – they believed – took glory away from their house, and their productions.

Truth be told, it was being bandied about that those two were plotting to have Emmanuel killed!

Emmanuel didn't even have a job though, it was said, he was a master craftsman having trained and worked under the eminent Davidite artisan Joseph Carpenter, and it was a fact that all he seemed to do was walk up and down the countryside, and the seaside, talking to the locals as though he was canvassing for elective office.

Some of the people who had met him personally had reported that he had some unknown power controlling him for he was able to dismiss their impossibilities as if they never were!

The day that D'Andrea met Emmanuel was the day that D'Andrea finally found her home, her heart, her love and her true life.

D'Andrea's recent life was one fraught with frustration, frugality, feeble-mindedness, filth and fomentation.

In short, her life was not a life or, at least, not a life worth living.

Disappointment, drudgery, deprivation, disavowal and disturbance were her realities.

What was to become of her?

Then, she heard the noise, and she knew! This was going to be her day!

Come hell, or high water, D'Andrea determined, then and there, that she was going to meet her Emmanuel!

Yes! He has her Emmanuel and she was going to claim him for her own!

And, then, there he was! Right in front of her face!

Oh, his eyes! Such beautiful eyes!

There was a banked fire burning in those eyes that bid one to come and rest for a while, and forever.

And, that voice! How it undulated as it flowed and covered one in the wet and wonderful warmth as of a soothing bath!

Emmanuel's words as sound on silent wind caress D'Andrea's soul, and there is ecstasy.

Finally. Finally!!

No more lies!

No more half-truths!

No more dissembling!

Here is her heart! He took it!

Here is past life. He cleansed it!

Here is love made true. She accepted it!

Emmanuel loves D'Andrea loves Emmanuel, and it is righteous.

D'Andrea's life has met her love, and she is ... home!

Recall of the Fall + Repentance; and some Musical Refreshment

Recall of The Fall

+

Repentance

I recently sat and did recall

All the things that I've done as a result of the fall

I've lied and cheated, stolen and compromised

Walked in my own way, and often reviled!

I've ignored wise counsel and

Crucified Christ time and again!

I've raised up myself higher than my Creator

And oft' ended up less than I was created!

There's been fornication, adultery, gambling,

Warmongering, hating and despising

Grasping and backbiting!

I've realized that one wrong to do was as good as any other!

No skin off my back

For they were all as light as the proverbial feather!

But then one dry day, reality set in

And nary a dry spot was found under my wet chin!

The conscience that I had long successfully ignored

Soon cast me, without preamble, upon the hard floor

Where revulsion and remonstrance vied

For prominence e'en pre-eminence

Oh, how I blubbered!

How sorrowfully I cried!

Alas, this poor soul

A lot like Cain and Esau

Cried out – not in repentance – but because

I – guilty – was brought to great shame!

Now, I must eat crow!

A dish most unpleasant, or so I've been told

But eat it without seasoning I must

Not even a drop to be left in the bowl!

It was then that I heard Old Ishbel's choice words –

"If you are truly sorry, repent!

If not, don't relent, for

To do otherwise

Is to minimize

Who you've offended, and yourself!"

It was then that I chose to get rid of all the hems and haws,

And get down to the real business of asking the Lord

For the character of gold in the fire of life tried

Righteous clothing made of linen clean and white, and

the anointing of the Salve

To heal my world-scarred eyes.

He said to me:

“Come as you are!

Repent, and be renewed!”

And

“Walk thou in the straight and narrow for

The Spirit will help you!”

So, hear me, I tell you:

“Don't believe your own publicity!”

“Acknowledge your Savior

And He will direct you!”

I endeavored from that day

That for me there would be

No more broad nor illicit high way!

I am trusting The Promising

I am basking in The Comforting

I am treasuring The Holy Word, and

From here on in, you see

Straight will be The Pathway to

Blessing for Me!

Create In Me a Clean Heart

Psalm 51

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bath-sheba.

1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving-kindness:
according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions:
and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned,
and done this evil in thy sight:
that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest,
and be clear when thou judgest.
5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity;
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts:
and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean:
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me to hear joy and gladness;
that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
9 Hide thy face from my sins,
and blot out all mine iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God;
and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence;
and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation;
and uphold me with thy free spirit.
13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways;
and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

14 Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation:
and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
15 O Lord, open thou my lips;
and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it:
thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit:
a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Day By Day

Prayer: Spare Me!

Prayer: Spare me!

FATHER, spare me from the curse of riches

for I fear that in my ease and abundance 

I will see no need for You.

Instead, Father, I pray that you will grant just enough

so that I will never forget from where my help comes.

Spare me, Lord, from an abundance of self-confidence,

for I fear that in my reliance on self,

You will become redundant

and serve no useful purpose in my life.

What ever pinnacle I, with Your blessing, may reach,

spare me, Father, from the rabid desire for the world's applause

for I fear that I may become so enamored of that dainty

that I will think myself a god to whom adulation is due,

and think myself ascended to be on equal with my Lord.

Spare me from that deadly sin called greed,

and teach me instead to be contented with what I have

so that I may eat grass and be ever so satisfied
because Your blessed hand has provided.

Father, help me to be happy for my neighbor when

good fortune smiles upon her, and help me to not covet

her possessions for myself because

I know, in my heart, that in due season

You will bless me also.

Help me to patiently wait upon You

for I know that You are able.

I love You.

AMEN

DECLARATION OF DEPENDENCE:

Sabbath Rest

HAPPY

SABBATH!!

SABBATH REST

We are:

S incerely seeking Christ's righteousness as we serve the
A lmighty God of all grace who restores and
B ountifully blesses His children, and
B estows
A ll great and marvellous things upon
T he faithful ones who
H ope and abide in His love!! We
R est our bodies from all our labors and
E levate our spirits to the Throne of Grace as
S weet peace descends to calm our souls as we
T ransform from rushing to refreshing.

   

The Real BEAUTY – An Acrostic

The Real BEAUTY – An Acrostic

B ecause I believe in the Lord, I shall be saved as I

E arly seek my Savior.

A nd even if worms destroy this body, I shall see God for

U nder His wings I safely abide as He daily

T eaches me His ways, and helps me never to

Y ield to temptation!

BEAUTY - An Acrostic

BEAUTY – An Acrostic

B eauty is as beauty does

E ver for roses – even for doves

A lways helpful, keenly alive

U nlikely ungracious, is never snide

T ruly thankful, spiritual, kind

Y es, precious, happy, peaceful, sublime!

Oh, Death, Be Not Proud

Sincere condolences 

to the FENTY Family

on the death of their beloved 

Alfred

11/24/47 - 12/03/2014

Oh, Death, Be Not proud!

Oh, Death, be not proud!

You can't hold him forever!

The Lord Jesus Christ, He paid Alfred's sinner's price

And the day is coming soon, when his captivity is over

That Jesus Christ, himself, shall grandly shout:

Alfred, my child! AWAKE!

Oh, at that time, with a glad shout of victory

With body glorious, Alfred will immortal rise

With the Saints of God, and Christ

And with every Angel

In a cloudy train

They'll journey through the sky!

Alfred shall at the Pearly Gates

Receive his badge of honor

White stone, new name

Golden harp and yes, a crown

A victor's palm

A grand welcome home from his Jesus

All mortal combat ended

No tears, no sorrow, never again to say goodbye!

Our tears will fall

Right now, but just for a little season

We won't mourn o'er-long as those heathen do

Alfred died in the Lord

Yes, it was in Jesus' peace and safety

For there was no conflict between

His Master and himself!

We will comfort ourselves

With the peace that Jesus gives us

Knowing we'll meet e'er long

Never again to say goodbye! **

Rest easy, Dear One, until the resurrection!

1 Thessalonians 4: 13-17 KJV

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning

them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which



have no hope




14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them


also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.




15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which


are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent


them which are asleep.




16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout,


with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God:


and the dead in Christ shall rise first:



17 then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together


with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we


ever be with the Lord.




18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Prayer To Be Kept From The Sin of Presumption

Heavenly Father, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Father, I come before You, and beseech You to keep me from 

committing the sin of presumption.

Help me, Father, to always remember that there is not anything that I can do, 

that I can do without You. Help me, also, to always keep before me 

that it is because of You, that I have my being; that I am a child, 

a sheep in Your pasture, and that I am to go, and be, 

and do what You require of me. 

Help me to daily seek Your will for my day and my way, and that I will, with

a humble and contrite heart, commit my stubborn will to Your leading. 

Help me, also, to remember that though it seems to this finite mind that You are silent, 

that You always answer the prayers of the faithful, 

whether that answer is yes, no, wait, or Your Grace is sufficient for what 

ever state, or estate, in which I may find myself. Father, help me to stand firm in the

faith of Jesus for, at times, the sufficiency of Your Grace 

feels an awful lot like welcome to the pain. 

Help me to understand, and accept, that 

Your way is not mine, neither are Your thoughts mine,

and please give me the grace 

that I desperately need to be steadfast and true to You

in the midst of my storms. And, Father, for those days 

when I do get ahead of myself, whether in anxiety, fear or distress,

or sheer willfulness, I pray for Your mercy, and forgiveness, 

and plead to be strengthened along the treacherous pathway that is this life. 

Through it all, Father, I offer You my prayers, my praise, and my worship, 

in the blessed name of Jesus Christ, the King, and ask in faith that

You will bless me, Lord, 

so that I may bless another out of Your bounteous hand of provision.

I love You, Lord, and I thank You for hearing and answering my prayer.

AMEN.

A Joyful Hallelujah

(Lynn R. - this is for you!) We sang this in CAMVOL nearly 40 years ago!

TRUTH - An Acrostic

TRUTH – An Acrostic

T ruth is of God! It is

R eal and uncolored; is

U nchanging, and everlasting;

T raversing time and space; has a

H eavenly hope, is built on love, and always heals!

TRUTH

BELONGS 

TO

GOD!!

We are FREE - An Acrostic

We Are FREE – An Acrostic

We are



F aithful to Jesus Christ



R edeemed by His blood



E ver blessed in His Grace, and




E nfolded in His Love!

Do Not Listen To Satan!

Do Not Listen to Satan!

I told you do not to listen to that Old Satan

He is not your friend, I believe is what I said!

He's just trying to take you away from Jesus

Any means, any method, using women and often other men!

Satan, he does not like us humans

He despises the very essence of common man

Because, to him, we have taken what should have been his

And given it to Jesus, the Christ, the Prince Immanuel!

Satan dislikes, e'en loathes, anything that our King loves

He proved that fact, in First Man's Eden home

He longs for the praise, and the worship, that belongs to

He who sits upon the Everlasting Throne!

Don't believe him, when he says, that he can give you

The desires, and even the very longings of your heart!

He tried that one once, oh, yes, with his Creator!

He only wants to get you to walk into the dark!

Take you a lesson, in survival, from our King Jesus

When he was tempted, of Old Satan, long ago!

Jesus said: It is written! Get thee behind me!

Worship God! Eating bread is not everything!

Please, do not let, old Satan, catch you off-guard

Be thou prepared – like Gideon's 300 men

Be alert, on your guard, listen, look out for danger

Trusting in Him whose word will always conquer sin!

Bless the Lord! Worship the King! Trust not in fables!

Trust not your eyes, your ears, nor the longings in your heart

Seek not the world, its dainties, nor its bounties

Look to your Lord, the King of Everything!

Read the Word, not cunning fables, don't listen to smooth words

Which are designed for the be-knighting of the soul

Don't give in to him – Satan wants only our soul death!

Give in to Jesus, the King of Everything!

Give your all to Jesus, the King of Everything!

SABBATH - An Acrostic

SABBATH

S abbath is a memorial of God's creative work

A llowing those who remember to receive

B lessings from above

B e still, and put away your work and rest, and

A ttend to your Creator

T he Holy One, The King of Heaven, our

H igh Priest – Jesus Christ, the Lord!

HE - The Lord of The Sabbath - is Here!

Thank You, Father, for the blessing of another Sabbath in Your Presence!

He is Here by The Gaither Vocal Band

Ode to Christian Education

In times of change, the LEARNER will inherit the earth

while the LEARNED will be beautifully equipped

for a world that no longer exists. — Eric Hoffer, American Philosopher

I don’t know about the rest of you

But I grew up in a church school

It all started on a Monday morning

When we had to line up in a long queue

There were children from first form to fifth

And the smaller ones in something called Prep

But the bottom line that I can tell you about

Is that there were no shoulders carrying chips!

We had to study all the usual stuff

Mathematics, English, History and the like

We also had to learn to do a craft

Just in case the economy didn’t last

The emphasis at our church school, was on raising good students

Good people, and especially good citizens for the world to come

So naturally we had to study our memory verses

And learn about something called Facing Life!

I remember my first form teacher, Sister Josiah

Big of heart and body too

She taught me that I could do anything

And showed me how to prove it too!

Sister Watts taught us girls home economics,

Sewing, crochet, embroidery, and cooking

She said any woman who had skills like these

Would always know how her family to feed

Brother Forde taught us our Facing Life class

Dealing with everything from relationships to dealing with self

He taught us that we needed to be strong decision-makers

Never fearful to take care of our selves!

I remember having a terrible temper, and one day was asked to apologize

The apology wasn’t deserved, I didn’t feel sorry, and it showed

So Sister Bayne, our principal, she called me aside, and said

“Betty! If you don’t mean it, don’t ever compromise!”

Our church school went further than was necessary

And brought in a celebrity guest to teach,

Her name was Marva Manning and I’ve never forgotten

Anything that she said in her speech

Ms. Manning taught us about dressing on a budget

And how to get our clothing to segue from day to night

She taught us how to be quietly elegant

And how to modulate our voices just right!

And finally there was my fifth form teacher

Sister Maitland, that was her name

She’s the person I’ll always remember

Because of a wonderful game she played.

It was our last semester in high school

When Sister Maitland said she could tell us, each one, who we were

Of course no one believed her

And then the Class was in total uproar!

Sister Maitland had a new name for every student she taught

Which she said epitomized the attributes we displayed

I remember waiting with bated breath

Until my name Sister Maitland gave!

My name, according to the good Sister

Was “Always Willing to Try!”

She explained that that name suited me perfectly

Because I was never afraid to give life a try!

In all the years since I’ve left my church school

I’ve tried valiantly to live up to my second given name

And I can tell you without fear of contradiction

That I have proudly lived up to, and worn, my name!

The results of many of the lessons we learnt

Were often not obvious until we left school

And that was when respect for self, and others, and faith in our Almighty God

Carried us forth to live life most nobly

Our teachers were men and women of great faith

Who strongly believed that teaching was their calling to serve

They loved us, each one, as if we were their own special child

And proudly taught us and guided us to the Word.

So, if you still have doubts about, the value of a Christian education

Look around you as we celebrate today

You’ll see gallant men, noble women, willing workers, lifelong learners, not one shirker

Gladly serving each other in the world, through the Word. 

Thanks Giving! - An Acrostic

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, DEAR ONES!

Thanksgiving is not just about food, family, fun favorite films and friends. In reality, Thanksgiving is all about:

T  hinking

H  ow 

A  wesome and

N  aturally and never-endingly

K  ind our

S  avior and

G  od is for

I   mputing to us His

V  alues, and

I   mparting to us a willingness to accept His

N  ecessary

G  race so that we may be saved!

I am THANKFUL for 

His

GRACE!!

For What are YOU thankful?

Prayer to Receive a Mustard Seed Faith

Father, have mercy on me.

With every passing day of my life

I realize more and more that I lack faith.

I talk all the time about how much faith I have in You

And how I know that You will never fail me nor forsake me.

Problem is, Father, it is a very shallow faith because it works

As long as things go how I want them to go. 

Father, I am sorry for this good time faith that I have been practicing 

Whereby I have been looking at my situation, and not at You,

And I ask You, in mercy, to give me enduring faith. 

I am pleading, Lord, for the faith, the mustard seed faith

Of which the Master spoke. I need that faith which

lets me sit, or rest, in quiet and enduring confidence, 

Unshaken at the convulsions taking place around me. 

Help me to forget what tomorrow holds and, instead,

Remember Who holds tomorrow.

Help me to submit my will, and my way, to You and help me 

To accept, without murmur or complaint,

That all my trials are for the perfecting of my character.

Grant me, Lord, faith as big as a mustard seed

So that I can not just say that I have faith,

But that I will be unwavering in my belief that I truly have 

The faith which orders my life, so that my life, and living, will be an

Exemplar of Your faith, and faithfulness, working in me.

I ask this mercy in the matchless name of Christ, the King,

And I thank You for the gift that is today.

AMEN

Oh, For a Faith That Will Not Shrink

by Morgan State University Alumni Choir

Prayer for The Fruits of the Spirit

Heavenly Father,

Have mercy on me because I am not happy.

Father, I am not happy because I just found out that I not only look like my daddy, 

but I also have his character.  

I lie, cheat, steal, and I bear false witness against my neighbors.

I am selfish and disobedient, and often walk in my own way.

I totally lack self-control and am often faithless to those in charity with me.

I may not like making a noise but, oh, how I enjoy causing a good riot.

I am not a nice person and I am asking You, my Heavenly Father

to make me like You!

I ask You, in the name of Jesus Christ the Righteous to

give me Your DNA, Your character. I want, no, I need the fruits of Your Spirit.

Grant me love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, kindness, forbearance, 

Self-control, and faithfulness. 

Lord, I really need the self-control and

I am pleading for the working of Your Holy Spirit to

help me to will and to do of Your good pleasure.

I don't want to be like my daddy anymore.

I need to become like You, my Father.

Have mercy, and bless.

AMEN.