HAPPY SABBATH: OXYMORON - Closet Christian Closet Christianity?!?!

I Don't Know About You
BUT
I Have Never Been 

A Closet Christian!

I Don't Care Who Is Looking At Me "Funny" 
When I Say Prayers In Public Before I Eat!

I Don't Care Who Knows That I Say Prayers 
To The Almighty God
- In Jesus Christ's Name -
To Watch Over Me When I Sleep!

I Don't Care Who Thinks It Is Weird For Me To Say:

"Thank God for Grace and Glory!"

AND ...

I Don't Care Who Thinks I'm Strange 
For Not Believing That God Is A Made-up Story!

I Believe In:
Almighty God - The Father
Jesus Christ, Creator, Redeemer, Savior, Friend: God - The Son
AND
The Comforter: God - The Holy Spirit,  Too!

I Believe That Holy Angels Do Surround 
AND
Protect True Believers from The Devil And His Evil Crew!

I Believe That It Is A Fool Who Plays With The Devil
Dipping And Touching Hands in 
The Devil's Pot of Deceitful Stew
AND
I Decided That Heaven Is My Goal
AND
I Know That I Will Survive And Thrive 
By God's Grace 
AND
I Know - For Sure - 
That I Can Do Without Satan's Fool's Gold!

I Shall Continue To Testify About 
What Good God Has Done For Me!

I Will Tell It To The World
That Being A Christian Does Not Mean That I Can't Laugh 
AND
Be Happy
AND
That Laughter Is Not Akin To Having Killed The Fatted Calf!

I Will Tell The World That 
In Jesus Christ 
My Failures Are Not Fatal
AND
My Mistakes Are Not Considered 
An Infestation of Rabid Lice
So That I Must Be Put Down!

I Can - And Do - Tell My Jesus Anything And Everything
AND
I Know That He Will Direct Me 
AND
Mark The Straight And Narrow Path That 
I Must Walk Along!

And ...

I Don't Have To Worry And Fret
AND
Threaten To Commit Suicide ... "Just Because ...!"
A Friend Is Doing Better Than I Am

WHEN ...

In Jesus Christ's Blessed And Holy Name 
The Almighty God Provides For Me!


NO! NO! NO!

No Closet Christianity For Me!
I Am Out 
In The Open 
For All The World To See
That Jesus Christ 
IS
The Lover Of My Soul
AND
Come Hell Or High-water
Jesus Christ Is Carrying This Soul 
AND
His Eternal City Is Mine
AND
I Shall Live Forever - After Having Endured To The End -
At The Fullness Of Time
FOR
The King Of Love Is My Shepherd
AND
His Love For Me Is Divine 
AND
Not Love On The Line!

Confessing To Being 

A Faithful Christian 

IN TIMES LIKE THESE

Puts A Bulls-Eye On Our Bodies!

*******

We Don't Need To Worry!

Let Us Remain Faithful!

*******

Man Can Kill The Body

BUT

Almighty God

Has Got Our Souls

AND

We Will Live ... Again

Immortal AND Glorified!!

PRAYER: Help Me To Deny My Wayward Self

Father,  

Wayward Self and I had a Difference of Opinion

And, it did not turn out too well!

I wanted to Trust You More Today

BUT 

Wayward Self wants Me to Believe as The World

That You're just Something inside My Head?!

Father, 

You have to Help Me

Wayward Self is becoming more overbearing of late

As It knows that I'm Leaning on Something Someone

Who is Steering Me away from The Sinners' Just Fate!

Father,  

I Love You!

I Trust You!

And, By Your Grace

There is Nothing and Nobody That can Change That

But That Wayward Self Is Acting Right Malicious

Pompasetting and Somehow Plotting

Something Nasty Behind My Mind's Back!

Lord, 

I Beseech You Today

To Hear Me as I Pray!

Please Remove Wayward Self Clean Out of My Way!

I Repent of My Sins

And I Am Walking As One Cleansed

BUT,  Lord Have Mercy

This Wayward Self is Pushing Me to Act 

Like Someone Straddling The Fence of Truth

And Avoiding Faith Like It's A Disease!

Lord, I am Mere Man!

You Created Me

And You Understand

For Jesus Christ Was Tested 

With Everything That Is Common To Man!

Jesus is Our Example

And You Say You Won't Leave Those Who Believe

For Satan to Trample Upon

So,  Please, Accept This Wayward Self 

That I am Placing On Your Altar

So that I will No Longer

By My Own Wayward Self

Be Made Anymore To Stumble and to Falter!

Help Me, Lord,

To Die To Self Today 

AND

Every Day 

Until That Day that Begins Forever.

AMEN

The Works and Workings of Almighty God

GOD IS NOT A MAN!

Sooo ....

Let's Get Our Minds Around That Fact

AND

Save Our Souls Absolute Distress

For Believing That God Is As Our Selves!

God Cannot Die!
God Cannot Lie
AND
Even Tough It Is Bandied About in The Din
God Cannot - God Will Not 
Save Us While We Continue Reveling In Our Sin!

God Does Not Joke
So God Can't Prank You!
So, Please Make A Note
God Does Not Need Our Up-Vote!

God Cannot Undo The Past!
God Cannot Not Punish Sin!
God Cannot Change

AND

God Has No Love for That Destructive Work That He Calls Strange!

God Loves The Sinner!
God Hates Sin!
God Welcomes All Who Will
Come to Him Their Known Sin Confessing!

God Hears Our Prayers!
God Answers Our Prayers Because 
He For Us Cares
BUT
God Has Nothing For
The Double-minded Man
Who Doesn't Know Whether He Is Going or Coming!

God The Father
God The Son
God The Holy Spirit
Three Distinct Operating Beings
Which Agree As One!
We Creatures Cannot Pit Each Against the Other
As We Do Our Parents Here on Earth
For 
All Seeing
All Knowing
Ever Present
They Are
AND
They have No Gear Called 
Back-back
Turn Around
Change Position
Nor
Reverse!

God IS Love!
God Has No Kid Gloves!
God Reigns In Earth 
AND 
In Glory!
His Footstool Is Earth
AND
His Throne Is In Glory!

God Is Calling You!
God Is Calling Me, Too!
God Will Not Scream!
God Will Speak Quietly
AND
Even Appear To Us In Our Dreams
BUT
Know With All Confidence
That When We Deny The Liar
AND
Give Up The Life of Dirt
God Will Wash Away The Past
God Will Make Us Anew
God Will Help Us To Endure 
Until This Life Shall End
AND
At The Last Trumpet
God Will Raise Us Up Immortal
To Enter Redeemed
In Through Heaven's Glorious Pearly Gate Portals!

God Cries!
God Gives Good Gifts!
God Heals!
God Feels
BUT
God Cannot Steal
FOR
All That He Surveys IS His
AND
If He Were Hungry
He Would Not Tell Us
For We Surely Have Not The Wherewithal To Him Feed!

God Made Us All
AND
He Gives To Us All
A Portion of His Blessings!
We All Know The Who
BUT
We Will Never Know
The What
The When
The Where
The Why
NOR
The How
Of Almighty God's Provision
NOR
What Is Enough
NOR
What Is Sufficient
BUT
We Know With A Certainty
That There Is No Being Who Can Order God
To Become More - Or Less - Efficient
For There Is No One
Who Can Say To God:

"Know What, For A God
You Are Gross
AND
Your Methods Are Grossly Deficient!"

God 

IS

Sufficient 

Unto Himself!

ACCEPT THIS

and

PROSPER

in

HIS LOVE and CARE!!

EXERCISING PERSONAL FAITH: Proving God!

God is Not Man!
He Cannot Forget
AND
He Ever Remembers
AND
In His Book of Remembrance
Are The Names of Those Who Fear His Holy Name!

God Can't Forget
AND
He Ever Remembers
To Bless Those
Who Prove Him
By Returning 
Faithfully of Offerings and The Tithe!

There Is No Other Place
In Scripture To Be Found
Such A Blessing Upon Him
Who Picks Up The Gauntlet
That The Holy God Himself Cast Down:

I Gave You First!

Return To Me Some Of Your Receivings

And 

Prove For Yourself

The Multiple Blessings I Will Pour Upon You 

Who

Of Your Receipts In Faith Doth Me Repay!

Give Me!

I Will Give Back To You!

Give Me A Morsel of Your Bread

And

I will Give You Of My Soup!

Your Dry Bread Cast On Water

Cannot Return To You The Same!

Watch Me Perform Miracles

That Your Faith Can Claim!

Give Me of Your Bread

And

I Will Return Soup

With Meat

Vegetables

Dumplings

Seasonings

And

With The Perfect Salt To Boot!

Your Pantry May Be Empty

Your Refrigerator Bare

Your Job May Be Missing

Your Children Own-Way

Your Spouse May Be Difficult

Your Health Has Gone South

BUT

Your God IS All Glorious

AND

All Things Emerge Settled

From My Mouth!

So ...

Trust Me!

Test Me

Even One Time!

Challenge Me!

Prove Me

I AM Almighty God Holy Divine!

My Word Is Clear!

Give!

AND

It Will Come Back To You

Full Measure

Pressed Down

Shaken Together

AND

Running Over!

For

By My Own Self

I Do Swear!

*******

So ...

It Seems To Me That 

If God Gives Me A Tree

And

I Harvest Wood

And

I Give God A Portion Of My Wood

I Can Expect To Receive It Back 

As A King's Chair 

Or

Even Better! 

Hmmm...

Enduring Unto The End!

I AM A Speed Racer
I Always Tear Up The Track!
There Isn't A fellow In The Class To Beat Me
For 
Those Other Racers Do Not Know Jack!

One Day ...

The Word came from The Mount Of Endurance That
Volunteers were Needed to Run The Long Race
AND
If Any of The Speed Runners Were Willing 
Training Would be Available After The Try-Outs!

I was The Boss when it Came to Running!
I was Going to Scrape Up The Floor at The Trials
On The Given Day!
I was Going to be The Champion
For
I was Not Going To With Those Untalented Plebes Play!

I was First in the 100 meters!
I was First in the 400 meters!
I was First In the 800 meters!
I was First in the 1500 meters!
I was FIRST in the 3000 meters
I AM Always FIRST!
Yesssss!!

Day Two of The Try-Outs Started ...

5000 meters was Hard - I placed Second
10000 meters was Harder - I placed Third
BUT
At least I had Three of The Wins IF if I was in The Decathlon!
I AM The Winner!
I will Win This Whole Thing!

Big Words from He Who Knows Not
What's around The Corner!

Big Words from He Who Thinks 
He Knows The Final Score!

Big Words from He Who Is 
Facing Elimination
If He Does Not Put Self At The Garbage Chute Door!

Surprise! 
Surprise!
I Got Me A Surprise!
The Head of The Trials
Gave Me The Surprise!
I Am Entered for The Decathlon!
Surprise!
Surprise!
SURPRISE?!

... CONFUSED!!

I Lived by My Speed!
I Make Other Runners Wheeze!
I Bring Other Runners
Humbled
To Their Knobbly Wobbly Knees!

I Run Other Runners Into The Ground
AND
I Will Do It Again E'er Long!

OR ... SO I THOUGHT!!

110 meter Hurdles!
High Jump!
Long Jump!
Pole Vault!
I Hurt So Badly
I Felt Like An Old Frump!

Shot Put!
Discus Throw!
Javelin Throw!
Lord Jesus, Help Me!
I Can Not Take Anymore!

AND ... THEN

Lord God Almighty
This Cannot Be True!
These Mad People Want Me
To Run A Full Marathon
On This Day Two, Too!

What Do They Think That I Am Made Of?
Iron?
Brass?
Even I Know That A Marathon
Is Not Run Fast!

Distance!
Long Distance!
Hill Climb!
Slippery Slope!
I Even Had To Run Around
A Big-Horned Rough Goat
Who Seemed To Really Like Me -
He's Running Toward Me Again!

Lord Jesus, Have Mercy
Is All That I Have The Energy To Pray!

I Am Out Of This Race!
I Cannot Go On!
I Have No Inner Resources!
My Resistance Is All Gone!

I Ran The Race
As If It Was A Sprint of Mine
Forgetting
Forgetting
That Long Distance
Calls For Time
AND
Endurance
AND
Resistance
AND
Energy Reserves
AND
Systems For Performing
Against Unexpected Inclines
AND Gully Washers
You Know? The Unexpected Deluge
Of Cold Rain
AND
Bramble Bushes Grabbing 
Ripping Flesh and Causing Pain
AND
Evil Goats
With Taste Buds
For Eating The Overconfident
Runner's Pants
Leaving Said Puffed-Up Runner
Calling For His Mummy
In A Seriously Off-key Note!

I Returned To The Point of Starting
Humbled
Tired
Hurt
Angry
Disappointed
Confused
Chagrined
Upset at The Folly
At Self The Race Leading!

I Spoke As A New Man
Repentant Of Old Ways!
I Asked For Opportunity
To Run For The Home In The Clouds
BUT
I Was Told That
I Could Run The Race
BUT
To Win
My Heart To The King
Must Be Bowed Down!

I Must Not Be Prideful!
I Must Not Pout!
I Must Humble My Self!
I Must Follow The Directions
That The King Himself Handed Out!

I Must Internalize The Teachings!
The Teachings Must Guide Me On The Way!
I Must Repair Often To The King The Master
AND
I Must To The Heavenly Father Constantly Pray!

I Must Practice Self-Denial!
I Must Yearn For The Win
Which Has Already Been Won
For Those Who 
To The Living Almighty God 
Reverently Bow Down!

I Must Resist The Damned Devil
Which The Master Himself Did Defeat
AND
I Must Resist and Resist
For That Devil Is A Murderous Cheat
Who Has Not Compunction
About Creating Cross Winds
To Bring Storms Out Of Quiet
And Marauders Who Are Friends Turned About!

I Must Start The Day With The Master!
I Must Make The Master Throughout The Day Mine!
I Must Let The Holy Spirit Guide and Lead Me
No Matter Where The Self Would Me Incline!
I Must - Even When I Fall Down -
Acknowledge Call God
My Lord Divine
And Know
A Guardian Angel - Excelling In Strength
Is Protecting This Body of Mine!

And ...

Even When That Slithering Wild Rough Goat
Has Trampled Kicked Bitten Butted Me 
Where It Truly Hurts The Most
I Must Resist
Resist Him In The Name Of The King The Master
And Sing
Sing for Jesus
Even If All I Have Is 
Piercing High Quiet Low Pained Inaudible Notes!

Time Has Passed Is Passing!
I Am Running For The Win
In The Championship Race!
I Am Running How The King The Master Stipulated!
I Am Running With Mercy By Grace
For I Do Not This Race Alone Face!

The Race Is Ongoing!
I Must Run With Patience
For
I Am Running One Day At A Time!

I Am Running A Race Of Resistance
For
The Pacer Is My God - The Great God - The Divine!

I May Exit My Race By My Death
Before The Race Itself Does End
BUT
I Know That I Will Win The Gold Crown
For
Jesus Christ - The King The Master
Is Carrying Me 
Is Carrying Me To Victory
For My Home In Glory On This Depends!

A Gift for Jesus!

I wanted to give Jesus a Present
BUT 
I had no money in the Bank!
I really wanted to give Jesus something lovely
BUT
All my finances well and truly really stank!

I thought I would write Him some poetry
Not very original
For it had been done better before!
I thought I would write Him some music
BUT
I had no clue how to write a music score!

I thought I would invite Him to dinner and
I would cook Him a beautiful Gourmet Meal
BUT
That is when I realized
That all I had in the cupboard was Oatmeal!

I thought I would tell Him A Great Story
Of the Pilgrim Progressing in The Way
AND
That is when I realized
That plagiarism just does not pay!

By now,  My Heart was Despairing
And that is when I heard 
The quietly loud knocking at my front door!
I opened
AND
There in my beholding
Was The Very King
For whom I wanted to get a beautiful present
BUT 
For whom I had nothing to show!

Dear Jesus!
My Jesus!
I want to give You a Present
A Present with "Thanks!" from the bottom of My Heart
BUT 
I have no money with which to buy it
AND
My Heart Is Quite Tearing Apart!

Master,  the only thing that I own in this World Outright
Is My Heart
BUT 
It is battered,  bruised,  torn, deceitful,  fickle
Fit only for Hell
AND
I don't want to give You something
That is lacking fill and is just empty shell!

My Child
Your Heart is 
The Gift That I most cherish
When given freely
And not given and then wanted back!
I will make a New Heart for You!
Follow Me - No matter what the World will do!
I love You, Dearest!
I will take care of You If You Do!

Gifts that cost money
Don't really mean much
When they are not accompanied with
A repentant,  Sorry-for-Sin Heart!
So, give Me the broken pieces of Your Heart today, now
And,  soon
In My Mansion of Rest
You'll Eternally stay!"

Not long thereafter
I awoke one bright morning
AND
I noticed a different beating of My Heart!
My Heart was Happy
AND
My Soul Refreshed
For I was In Jesus
SOMEBODY
AND
I could happily sing
For
I Had Received The Promised New Heart from
Jesus Christ 
My Forever Hallelujah King!

Giving

The GIFT of One's Heart

to 

JESUS CHRIST

Returns To The Giver

Untold Blessings!