PRAYER : Thank You, Lord, For Your Myriad Blessings!

Dear Lord,

My Heart Is Thankful

Even As I Ask You

To Help Me To Conquer

The Mountains I Must Climb Today

Using The Faith And The Grace 

That You Provided To Me For The Day!

Tomorrow Is Yours!

You Are Divine!

Lord, Grant Me The Wisdom

And

Wisdom's Understanding

So That I Will Diligently Walk

Through Your Opened Door!

 - The Building May Be Mine

But

The Doors Are Surely Yours!

I Desire To Reach Home

To Be With You

So Please

Help Me To Me To Be

- By Your Knowledge -

Kind!

Help Me, Lord

To Grasp Your Beckoning Hand! 

- The Offer Is Yours

But

The Will To Accept Is Mine!

I Gratefully Accept Your Offer

And

I'm Walking Faithfully Toward

The Separation Line

Even As I Await The Great Day

When Holy Light

Erasing The Separating Line

Shall Shine!

Help Me, Lord

To Hold Salvation Tight

In My Heart

So That When My Tongue Can't Sing

My Heart

Will Do All The Celebrating!

Help Me, Lord

To Let Jesus Christ

Be To Me

Everything That I Can't Even Conceive

But Which

By Current Faith

- Soon To Be Immortal Sight -

I Will Accept

Because Jesus Is My Only Savior

And

The One In Whom My Heart Does Delight!

Grant Me, Dear Lord

The Victory Already Sealed

So That In The Day

Soon Dawning

I Will

With All The Victorious Saints

Be With You

Rejoicing!

Remember, Lord

The Brethren

Near And Far!

Remember In A Very Special Way

Those Who Mourn

And

Those Who Anticipate A Mourning!

Comfort Them In Their Distress, Father

And

Bring To Their Remembrance

That There Is Indeed

A Glorious Balm In Gilead!

We Give You, Lord

Our Praise 

And

Our Worship

And

We Thank For Your Myriad Blessings

Which Have No Expiration Date

Or

Use By Date!

We Bless You, Lord!

Lift Us Up So That We May Lift You Up

For In Jesus Christ's Holy Name

We Plead, And Stand!

We Love You, Lord!

AMEN.

FAITH: Wrestling Presumption!

Miss Faith Was Building Her House!
She Claimed For Her House Name
Genuine Faith
AND
Ordered Her Bricks
And Other Supplies
And Set About Her Business
Following After God's Goodness!

For The Foundation Of Genuine Faith
Faith Had
The Promises
AND
Provisions Of The Scriptures!
It Was A Mighty Undertaking
AND
That Foundation Was Solid Rock!
Faith Was Happy In The Lord
AND
About Her Lot!

Things Were Moving Along Apace
AND
Faith Knew
Her House Would Never Show Itself A Disgrace
So
Brick By Brick
Genuine Faith
Was Being Built Up
Until The Ring Beam
Was The New Row In Sight:

• Agonizing Faith
• Saving Faith
• Trusting Faith
• Holy Faith
• Presumptuous Faith
• Wavering Faith
• Faith For Today
• Faith For The Way

Suddenly, A Shout Was Heard ...

Miss Faith!
Miss Faith!
There Is A Problem
With Two Of The Special Bricks
In Your Ring Beam!
They Are Exposing Cracks In Genuine Faith
AND
In Jesus' Name They Must Be Replaced
Or
Your Christian Faith
Will Become A Notable Disgrace!

Oh, Lord
What Shall I Do?!

Trust And Obey!

I Will Take Care Of You!

Trial Of Faith
Please Tell Me True
Which Are The Bricks
That I Must Replace
To Avoid The State Of Disgrace?

Miss Faith,
For One
You Must Replace That Presumptuous Faith!
Faith That Doesn't Lead To Obedience
Is Presumption
That Seed Of Satan
Which Claims The Promise
While Hiding Behind Sin
Excusing Bad Behavior
Daring God To Deliver Favor
When In Known Disfavor Walking!

Oh, Dear!
Oh, Dear!
Lord, Please Forgive!
I Am Sorry!
That Is Not How I Desire To Live!

Trial Of Faith
Is There Another Brick?!
I Desire A Strong House
So Tell Me, Please
So I Can Make My Necessary Changes Now!

Sorry To Say It
But
Say It
I Must
For
Wavering Faith
Is Wedged In Your Wall
AND
This Is The One Brick
Which Causes
The Deaf Ears Upon Which Such Prayers Fall!

If You Want Your House Called
Genuine Faith
To Truly 
Firmly Stand
Wavering Faith Must Be Dug Out
Or 
Your House Will Be
Like A Reed House
Solidly Built On Shifting
Sinking
Even
Quick Sand!

Oh, Lord
Most Glorious!
You Who Are Kind And True
Please Fix My Faith For
I Am Pleading
And
I Am Depending Upon You!
You Word Is My Lamp
Showing Me Where To Put My Feet
And
The Light Along My Pathway
Showing Me The Clear Way!
You Are My Shepherd!
I Am Your Sheep
You Are The King Of Love
You Guide Guard
And
Me
You Safely Keep!

I Desire To See The Mount Zion
That Beautiful City Of God
But 
I Know That I Shall Not Get There
If
I Indulge Wavering  Faith
That Messenger
Sent By Satan
The Cruel Fraud!

Lord,
You Are My Father
The Lover Of My Soul
And
My Very Best Friend!
Please, I Beseech You
Defend My Cause!
Defend!

I Am Leaning On You, Lord
Believing
Trusting
Walking The Holy Way
And
I Desire My Mustard Seed Of Faith To Grow
So Help Me, Lord
To Give Wavering Faith
The Holy Heave Ho!

I Am Thine, Dear Lord!
It's The Heavenly Voice That I Long Ever To Hear
Rid Me Of ThoseTraits
That Are Not Thine!
Remove From My Heart 
Doubt
Fear
And Indeed
That Wavering Faith
And
Replace It With Genuine Faith
The Name That My House Calls Out!
AMEN.

You Should Also Know That ...

Nominal Faith 
Also Tried 
To Get In
BUT
Exercised Faith
Threw Him Out!
Many Were Faith's Tests And Trials
AND
Enduring Faith
- Longing For Salvation -
Could Be Regularly Heard Shouting Out!

Faith's Faith Was Tested And Tried
AND
Proved To Be Bona Fide
BUT
She Does Not Rest Upon Her Laurels
AND
She Does Not Let Her Vigilance
Into Complacency
Slide!

Faith's House 
Called
Genuine Faith 
Was Built
AND
It Carries A Roof 
Called
Jesus' Faith
That Goes Under The Foundation
Upon Which Faith Leans
Before She Thinks To Exit Her Door
AND
Her Faith - Genuine Faith -
Is Now Hard-Core!

The Body Without The Spirit Is Dead

AND

So, Too

Genuine Faith

Without The Love Of The Lord

That Causes Faith To Work

Is Dead

AND

Is As Useful As

A Whole Soleless Shoe!

**--**--**--**

How Is YOUR Faith

Working Out For YOU?!

**--**--**--**

Upon What

Is

The House Of Your Faith

Built?

Guard Your Tongue!

Speech 
Is A Talent!
A Gift!
A Blessing!
A Curse!
Speech Is A Great Power
Used For Either
The Devil
Or For
The Heavenly Lord!

Speech Is Split
Into Two Categories
Righteousness
AND
Unrighteousness
AND
Speech
Spoken As The Words Of The Lord
Can Cause Sorrow For Sin
AND
Also Cause The Now-Repentant One
Hence Forth To Walk In Righteousness
Giving Up Living In Sleaze!

The Devil Has His Speechifiers
Who Work With Ill Effect
Taking Great Pleasure
In Causing Gross Destruction
Whilst Being Hopeful 
Of Digging Forever-Graves
For Those Who 
Are Almighty God's Blessed Elect!
It Can't Happen!

Nevertheless ...

Please Keep
Your Mind
AND
Your Mouth
Out Of The Devil's Darkly Dismal Domain
AND
Plead With Christ Jesus
To Refine You
So That The Devil's Peculiars
Can Not You Enchain!

A Soft Answer
Turns Away Wrath!
A Word Of Love 
AND
Kindness
Can Warm
Against The Coldest Draft!
A Kind Word Of Help
Can The Grandest Load Half
AND
The Word Of The Lord
Fitly Spoken
Can
- To Struggling Man -
Become
A Sturdy Walking Staff!

When You Brush Your Teeth
Brush Your Own Tongue
Removing The Gross Debris Of Yesterday
AND
Gargle With A Living Song Of
The Father In Heaven
The Son Who For Love Died  - Yet Lives
The Holy Spirit Comforter
AND
The Guardian Angel
Influencers For Good
AND
Sing Of The Rock Of Ages
Who
In The Breach For Us
Stood!

Speak Of Love!
AND
Sing Of Love!
For
Love Is The Goal!
AND
Please Don't Let A Bad Word
Cause You
To Sin Against Your Own Soul!

Spit Into The Gutter The Disgusting!
Loft Into The Air God's Grace!
Lift Your Voice In Thanksgiving
AND
For The Blessings Of Heaven
Grandly Cheer!

What Has No Hand

No Fingers

No Bank Account

No Money

No Pen

AND

No Checkbook

BUT

Still Writes Big-Money Checks?!

STSHSESTSOSNSGSUSES!

WORDS: Weight

Words Have Weight!

Careless Words Weigh Heavy

AND

They Can Send A Person

Into A Troubled State!

How Much Weight Do Your Words Carry?

To Hear The Back-And-Forth
You Would Not Believe
That They Were Friends:

You Are Nothing But
An If But And An And!

You're Nothing More Than
A Therefore What For And A Question Mark!

You Are Unkind!
You Are Hateful!

You Make Me See Red!
You're A Technicolor Excuse Masquerading As White!

That Was Not Very Nice!
Neither Are You!

Excuse Me!
Don't You Know
That Unkind Words
Hidden Behind Your Shirt 
Hurt
When In Anger
You Open Your Mouth
AND
Do Them Blurt!

Be Angry
AND
Sin Not!
Let Not The Sun Go Down On Your Wrath!
Stop!
Think!
Turn Away!
Isn't There Something Better
That
In Kindness
You Can To Your Adversary Say?

Today!?
Today!

Let's Start Over!

God Loves You
And So Do I!
Let Us Be Friends!

I Am Willing To Try!
I Am Going The Extra Mile!

I'll Always Speak The Truth!
I'll Always Speak The Truth In Love!

I'll Extend A Helping Hand!
My Hand Offers The Touch Of The Household Of Faith!

I Walked A Mile!
I'll Walk A Mile In Your Shoes!

I Shall Pray!
I Shall Pray For Rain!

Hold Up!
Why Are You Praying For Rain?!
There Is No Drought!

I Am Praying For Showers Of Blessing
From The God Of Heaven Above!
I Am Praying That The Lord Will Bless Us
To Speak To Each Other With Love!
Words Have No Scale-Weight
BUT
Ugly Unkind Words Kill!
I Am Praying 
For Words Edifying
That Will A Yearning Soul
Fill!

Words Cause Wars 
AND
Much Strife!
AND
The Little Red Rag
That Forms Them
Gets Lit From The Devil In Hell
AND
Is The Match-Light
That Starts The Conflagration
That Will
Friends
Family
Nations
AND
Congregations
Benight!

Word!

Wordssss!
Remember The Snake!

I Love You!
I Love You More!

But ...

He Who Made Us
Loves Us Best!
So
Let Us Strive To Be
To Do Better
So That In Him
We Shall All Be Gloriously Blessed!

Yes! Yes, Indeed!

We Should Bless God
With The Fruit Of Our Mouths
AND
Curse The Devil
By Being Kind One To Another!

Let Your Words Go North

And

Not South!

Let Your Words Lift Up

And

Not Cast Down!

Let Your Words Speak Peace

And

Not Propagate Hate

For

Your Own Words 

Will Be Your Judge

When The King Comes

Through The Gate!

The Next Day ...

Hey, Child Of God!
Hello, Beloved Of The Father!

EXPERIENCES: Dis(O)bedience

It Takes A Miracle
A Blessing God
To Nullify A Curse!
It Took Jesus Christ
On The Cross
Dying
The Curse Upon Man Spoken
In Eden's Garden
To Reverse!

Bless God!

It Takes Presumption
On The Part Of Man
To Accuse God
Saying:

That Curse Was Causeless!

When
In All Actuality
None In The Garden
Could Be Considered
Faultless!

The Prohibition Was Clear:

Do Not Eat That Fruit!

Obviously ...

You Can't Eat
Unless You Bite!
You Can't Bite
Unless You Pick!
You Can't Pick
Unless You Reach!
AND
You Can't Reach For The Fruit
Until
You Are At
Or In
The Tree!
AND
You Can't Get To The Fruit Tree
Unless
You Walk
AND
You Won't Walk To The Fruit Tree
Unless Your Thoughts Say:

I Feel For Fruit

Today

This Hour

This Very Moment!

AND

I DON'T CARE

If That Fruit Is Sour

Or Will Edge My Teeth

AND

Tie Up My Tongue

Stain My Hands

AND

My Face

AND

On My Clothing Leave A Trace

AND

In My Mouth Leaves A Scent

AND

In My Belly Leaves A Bitter Burn

AND

At My Sit-Down

Causes Me To Squirm

AND

In The Wash

Waste's Mighty Stench!

In My Mind
- Upon Replay -
Urge Does Recoil
AND
Remonstration 
Strenuously Says:

Disobedience

Does Not Pay

For Willfulness

Knows Not The Story Whole

AND

Selfishness Knows Only

Self's Current Goal!

Why So Bold?!

If Selfish Self
Had Hindsight's Foresight
AND
If Taste Had Waste's Pipeline
AND
Satisfaction Wore Sorrow-For-Sin's Nightgown
Obedience Would Not Wear Presumption's Shoes
Nor Greed's Glasses
Nor Borrow Today's Trouble
To Get Outcome's Tomorrow-Lashes
AND
Painful Gashes!

If You Count The Steps
To Sin
Malice 
Is Here Involved!
Wickedness Is Walking Wild
AND
Wily Satan Does Rejoice!

Be Wise Like That Serpent!
Be Harmless As The Holy Spirit's Dove!
Accept The Lord's Prohibitions
For
He Made You With Love!

Let No:

"Hath God Said ...?"

End With:

"Thou Shalt Not Surely...!"

For
In The End Of Your Big Doings
God's Surely
Will
Of A Surety
Be Done Securely!

There Is No Curse Causeless
AND
There Is No Excuse
For A Man To Be Lawless
For
Holy God's Law
Is 
Eternally Flawless!

Obedience Only Requires A "Yes!"
BUT
Disobedience 
Always Requires 
Much Thoughtful Machination To Process
For
Escape
AND
An Excuse
Become Necessary
AND
Unsurprisingly Start
With The Same "E" 
As The Evil
Which Makes You Vile
To The Lord God Almighty!
Check It Out And You Will See!

Disobedience Leads To Bad Experience
AND
Bad Experience Is A Pay-In Program
Which
- Well Used -
Turns Good-Life Into Refuse
Which Refuse
Into Outer Darkness Goes
Where Crying 
AND
Gnashing Of Teeth
Are Evinced From Those
In Humiliation's Death Throes!

In Christ
There Is No 
"Yes!" And "No!"
In Christ There Only
 "Yes!" And "Go!"
For
Christ IS Neither Fickle
Fadish
Nor A Fiend
BUT
Is The God Of Salvation
Who Desires 
All To Be Clean!

Do Right!
Live Right!
Walk With Him Who Is Sight
AND
Escape Damnation's Long Throng
Who Will Have
A Permanent Night
AND
No Lullabye For A Soothing Song!

Satan Is The Liar
So
Let Him Not Your Commonsense Squeeze
For His Only Gift To You
Is To Ensure That You End Up With
Punishingly Devilish Fleas!

But ...

Know This!
If You
- Having Made The Mistake -
Don't Harden Your Heart
BUT
Cast Your Self
On God's Mercy
AND
Doing Same
Without Fear
Confessing
Repenting
AND
Crying Out 
Because Of Your Shame
AND
Pleading With The Father
For Restoration
In Jesus Christ's Holy Name
He Will
Of A Surety
Bring You Into 
The Rest Home Again!

Don't Be As Some!
Cain
AND
Esau 
Are Of Note Two
Who
Would Not Be Humbled
AND
Were Reprobates
Through And Through!

One Cried 
That His Punishment Was Too Great!
AND
One Cried 
Because By His Own Actions
His Blessing Was Too Small!
BUT
Neither Repented Of Their Behavior
AND
God's Condemnation
Of Both Of Them
Severely
Did Fall!

Contrast Those Two
With
Adam AND King David
AND
Soberly
Also Think Of King Saul!

Adam AND King David
Knew Bitter Repentance
AND
In The Lord's Strength
Went On To Teach The Truth To All!
But ...
Saul ... Unrepentant In Sin
Grieved
The Holy Spirit Of Peace
Away
AND
In Agony Of Spirit
Trusted A Condemned Necromancer
To Get Guidance From The Dead
On How The Living Should Be Led!

The Dead Dead
- By Satan -
Answered
The Living-Walking-Dead
For Saul Was An Empty Man
Condemned
By The Holy God
For Playing Footsie
With The Fraud!

Long Story Short Short ...

Don't Let A Little Covetousness
Turn You Into A Man
Conscienceless
For God
Will Not Hold You 
Guiltless
AND
Your Too-Late Tears
Will Be To You
Profitless!

Think Before You Reach!

With Jesus As Your Leader

Doing The Right Thing

Is Not Hard!