Raise Your Gaze!

The Lord Our God Will Never Force Us

To See The Light Of Life: 

He Gives Unto Each Of Us A Daily Gift Of Faith! 

The Lord Marks The Path To Life Everlasting

Paints The Sky

Sets The Orbs In The Firmament 

And 

Speaks The Truth! 

Our Lord Christ Lovingly Invites Us 

To Choose To Believe Him At His Living Word 

And 

He Gives Us The Will To Obey 

And

The Wisdom 

To Act Upon Sure And Secure Knowledge 

To Bless Ourselves And Others 

On The Path Pointing Us Toward Home

Aka The Heavenly Home! 

No Surprise ...

Disobedience 

Is 

All Our Own Choice! 

Hope, Help, And Healing

Obedience And Endurance

Trust, Grace, And Mercy

Protection, Provision

And 

Peace And Rest 

Are Bountiful Baskets Of Plenty 

Readily Available To The Willing To Be Wise 

Unto Their Own Soul's Purchased Precious Salvation! 

Just So You'll Know ...

Half Faith And Half Doubt 

Is 

Full Doubt! 

Half Truth And Half Error 

Is 

Total Error! 

This Is The Truth ... 

Believe ... And Be Blessed! 

Trust God ... And Obey! 

Do Right ... And Live In Light! 

Follow The Lord Christ 

And 

Live Free In The Land Of Purest Delight 

And 

No Night With Things That Scar And Scare! 

Please, I Beseech Us All

Do Not Allow Your Intellect

Your Pride

Or 

Man's Deceitfully Glorified Knowledge 

To Rob You Of Your God-Given Birth-Right! 

Please Don't Sell Heaven 

To Buy A Bowl Of Red-Bean Stew That 

Fattens The Waist Line 

And 

Exits The Waste Line! 

Raise Your Gaze! 

Peace!

Almighty God Doesn't Threaten You: Don't Compromise With Dressed-Up Evil!

The Lowly Jesus 

Is 

Our Beautiful Savior! 

The Good Shepherd 

Is 

Our Glorious King! 

The Itinerant Teacher From Nazareth

Is 

The Living God Most High! 

The Perfect Lamb Of God 

Is 

The Lord Of Life

Our Rock Of Refuge

Our Shelter In The Time Of Our Sure-To-Come Storms 

And

He Who Was Despised And Rejected By Men 

Is 

Immanuel ... Almighty God With Us! 

You, Beloved, Are Infinitely Blessed: 

Are You Living Like You Know It 

And 

Believe It With Every Fiber Of Your Being!?! 

We Serve The Holy God Who Never Threatens Us: 

He Invites Us To Appear Before Him 

And 

Reason With Him! 

Our Almighty God 

Is Not 

One Of The Manufactured Class Who By Unholy Rollers

- Who Have No Rule Over Their Own Spirits - 

Declare And Decree: 

"Let Me Rule Over You Or I Will Ruin You!" 

Our Eternal God 

Is 

Good, Gracious, Giving

And 

Forgiving 

And

Because He Is All-Seeing, All-Knowing 

And

Ever-Present 

And

Is Touched By All The Things That We Feel

He Has Given Us Full Disclosure 

And

The Free-Will 

And 

The Freedom To Freely Walk In Our Own Way 

Whether It Leads Us To Heaven 

Or Sends UsTo Hell! 

Oh, The Shame ...

Jesus Christ The Lord Created And Saves Us: 

We Disobey And Dishonor Him! 

Oh, The Horror ...

Evil Men Confuse And Seduce Us To Destroy Us: 

We, As The Fool, Obey And Honor Them! 

This Picture Is Ugly: 

Please Redraw, Repaint, And Reframe It!

Peace!

This Is The Gospel Truth:

You Are Precious In The Lord's Sight! 

You Were Bought Back From Death

By The Innocent Blood

Of

The Holy Lamb

The Only Begotten Son Of God: 

Don't Compromise With Dressed-Up Evil! 

Stop Helping Satan The Damned Feel Good!

Many Of Us Are Not Wise! 

Have You Considered That 

Our Dear Lord Tells Us To Do Good 

And 

Good Will Attend Us 

And 

To Consider Our Ways ... And ... Be Wise

For A Reason!?! 

Beloved, 

If Doing Good Causes Good To Attend Us Aka Take Care Of Us

Then It Stands To Reason That 

When We Do Bad, Down-Right Corrupt Evil Things

Then Bad, Down-Right Corrupt Evil Things 

Will Assuredly Take Up Residence 

In Our Comfy Chair And Nice Bed 

To Make Sure That We Reap What We Sow 

And

With Bitterness And Sorrow

Eat What We Maliciously Caused To Abundantly Grow! 

Think ... 

Would You Enjoy Manufacturing A Weapon That You Know 

Is 

Definitely Going To Be Used To Execute You!?! 

Obviously, The Answer Is A Resounding "No!" 

Since This Is So

Then Why Are We Who Know Right From Wrong 

And

Good From Evil

Indulging In Idiocy To Help Satan The Damned 

Feel Good About His Day's Work 

Against Our Striving For The Lord Of Glory's 

"Well Done, Good And Faithful Servant!" 

Priceless Commendation!?! 

The Plain Truth ...

Satan Can't Go Back Home To Heaven! 

We, By Enduring Faith And Obedience, Can! 

Please, I Beseech Us All 

Let Us Examine Ourselves 

And 

Discover Aka Expose Our Rank Motives 

For Indulging In Lawlessness Aka Sin! 

Let Us Choose To Daily Die To Sin And Selfishness 

So That We Will Live For Salvation 

And

With Charity Aka Love For All Mankind!

Remember, Remember

Don't Ever Forget ...

Unimpeachable, Indestructible, Records Are Being Kept!

Be Wise For Your Own Self 

And 

Boldly Decide To Ever Do What Is Good And Right! 

Peace!

Committing Sin Is Natural:

No Effort Is Required! 

Doing What Is Good And Right

Requires

A Free-Will

Firm

Faithful To The Lord Christ

Bold 

Conscious Decision! 

There Are Consequences To Either Act:

Choose Wisely! 

Sippy-Cup Christianity

 

Would You Squeeze Through A Wide-Open Door!?! 

Would You Only Eat One Grape A Day 

When You Have Unrestricted Access 

To A Flourishing, Abundantly Productive, Vineyard!?! 

Would You Drink From A Sippy-Cup 

When You Live Next To A Spring Of Sweet, Ice-Cold, Water!?! 

If You Answer 

"No, Not A Chance!" 

Then Why In The Name Of All That 

Is 

Holy, Just, And Good 

Are You, Me, We Visiting With The Lord Christ 

Only When We Are In Dire Straits 

And 

Not Doing So As A Habit, A Practice, A Way Of Life!?! 

Jesus Christ Spreads A Table Before Us!

 

Jesus Christ Is The Creator God

The King Of Love

The Good Shepherd

The King Of The Universe 

And

Any Table That He Spreads Before Us 

And

In The Presence Of Our Enemies 

Is 

Going To Be Beautifully Appointed

Infinitely Long

And 

Abundantly Laid 

So That We May Feast Now 

And

Eternally! 

PRAYER:

Dear Lord, 

We Have A Problem! 

We Are Looking Through Finite Eyes

With Fraught Feelings 

At The Table Spread By The Infinite God! 

Please Help Us To Look Up Higher

See Clearer

Smell Deeper

And 

Taste The Unimaginably Good, Good

Very Good Things That

Come From Your Giving Heart And Hands! 

Please Cleanse, Refine

And

Re-Educate Our Taste-Buds 

So That We Will Ever Choose

With Knowledge, Wisdom, And Understanding 

To Eat And Drink Deeply Of

Your Goodness Always! 

AMEN!!!

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: The Giving Hand Is Never Empty!

I Don't Know About You

But 

I Consider My Day To Be Just Perfect 

When I Receive Extras:

A Pregnant Plantain! 

A Bag Full Of Coupled-Up Cherries 

And 

A Gift Of Goodies That I Would Normally Buy 

But

The Good Lord Supplied 

By The Willing-To-Share Hands Of 

Friends And Family! 

Beloved, 

Are You A Practicing Grateful Person!?! 

Are You Thankful For The Lil' Treats That 

Our Dear Lord Provides To Us Each Day 

Or

Are You Embracing The Ungrateful Heart Of 

The Unreasonable Soul Who Looks For Trouble 

But

Not Blessings!?! 

Never Forget Aka Always Remember That 

Our Attitude Determines Our Altitude! 

The Lord Gives New Mercies, New Blessings, Every Day 

But

Many Of The Visible Ones We Will Never Get To Enjoy 

Because 

We Do Not Choose To Appreciate That 

Little Is Much When God Is In It! 

The Thankful Heart 

Is 

Always Filled 

And

The Giving Hand 

Is 

Never Empty! 

All Of Our Great God's Gifts Are Good, Very Good

But, Alas

We See What We Look For 

And

We Get As We Give! 

I Challenge You To Choose To Be Thankful 

Because 

You Are Blessed To Bless To Be Blessed! 

Pray To Our Father! 

Expect A Blessing! 

Look Up To The Hills! 

Reach Out To The Brethren! 

In-Gather God's Good Gifts! 

Share Your Blessing

And 

Faithfully Repeat! 

The Lord In Zion Reigns

And

He Forgets Not His Own! 

Peace! 

HAPPY SABBATH + FREEDOM IN CHRIST JESUS: How Are You Using Your Gift!?!

Free! 

Freedom! 

Freely! 

Free-Will! 

Good Words! 

Costly Words! 

Bottom Line, Beloved, 

Free Ain't Cheap! 

For Us Free People 

To Have The Freedom 

To Exercise Our Free-Will 

To Live Freely

It Cost Jesus Christ His Blood 

To Purchase Our Freedom! 

The Glorious  Innocent 

Paid For The Cast-Out Guilty! 

Let's Ask Ourselves The Hard Question: 

"Am I Wasting My Freedom ... So Dearly Purchased 

To Live Like A Trussed-Up Aka Hog-Tied Slave To Sin 

Because I Do Not Recognize The True Value Of

The Great Salvation Acquired For Me Personally!?!" 

The Expression 

"There Is None So Blind 

As He Who Will Not See ... The Truth!"

Is 

Of Great Relevance To Us 

Who Call Jesus Christ, Lord And God!

We All Love To Receive Gifts

But

Who Determines The Value Of The Gift Given 

The Value Of The Gift Received!?! 

Is The Value Of The Gift Received 

Diminished Or Elevated 

Based Upon The Receiver's Attitude

Be It Bad Or Good!?! 

Our Father  ... Who Is In Heaven

Required The Perfect Sacrifice Of Innocent Blood 

To Pay The Full Price For Our Awful Sin: 

Jesus Christ The Righteous Willingly Paid It All! 

You Are Personally Given A Receipt For Sin Marked 

"PAID IN FULL!" 

To Some People Among Us

The Paid Receipt 

Is 

Just A Beautifully Engraved Card 

Artistically, Tastefully, Stamped With Real Red Ink! 

To The Saints Of God And Christ

It Is The Title Deed To Eternity 

Sealed With Living Blood! 

What Is It To You!?! 

Do You Even Care!?! 

Think About It ... 

Peace With The Omnipotent God Is Free! 

Peace With The Omniscient God Is Freeing

And

No Surprise At All

Peace With The Omnipresent God Is Freedom! 

Blessings Be Upon You:

Freedom In Christ Jesus Is Forever! 

The Shed Blood Of Jesus Christ

Is

The Love Of Almighty God!

Praying Raises You Up To Almighty God!

Pray ... Without Ceasing 

Aka Boldly Bombard The Throne Of Grace 

With Pleas For Loving Favor For Yourself 

And

For Others 

And 

Always Remember To Give Thanks! 

Beloved, 

You, Me, We Have An Open Invitation 

To Approach The King

Our God Holy

Our Creator Forever Blessed

To Ask For Blessings 

Any Second, Minute, Hour, Day, Week, Month, And Year 

No Middle-Men ... No Intermediary ... Required! 

Do You Trust The Lord!?! 

Do You Believe The Invitation!?! 

Do You Believe The Promises!?!

 

Are You, By The Gift Of Faith, Willing To Step Up

Step Out

And 

Show Your Trust In Your Lord!?! 

Faith ... Without Work ... Without Exercise

Is 

DOA Aka Dead On Arrival! 

Think! 

Praying Raises You Up To Almighty God! 

The Lord Christ Lovingly Asks Us 

To Show Our Unwavering Trust In Him 

By Choosing To Be An "Annoying Child" 

So That He May Say ... At The Appointed Time

Apple Of My Eye

Here Is Your Heart's Desire Now, Today

When You Are Truly Ready

To Step Up A Little Higher! 

By Making My Will For Your Life

Your Heart's Sole Desire

You Are Walking Right In Holy Light

And

Growing Up In My Grace 

And

You Are Being Blessed

To Also Bless Others!

Pray, Dear Ones! 

Align Your Desires With The Known Will Of Almighty God 

As Written In The Living Word

And 

Walk Wisely, Confidently, Into The Beautiful City 

At The Time Of His Appointing! 

Remember, Remember

Don't Ever Forget ...

The Ways Of Our Beautiful Savior Are Perfect!

Peace!

Manipulators Abound!

If You've Ever Had To Endure 

The "Tender Mercies" Of A Manipulative Parent

Husband, Wife

Child, Brother, Sister, Employer

Or Like Jesus Christ

A Creature Aka Lucifer 

And 

A Bosom Friend Aka Judas Iscariot 

You Are In Good Company! 

Beloved, 

Manipulators Abound Left And Right 

Behind And Before

Above And Beneath! 

Being Poor Doesn't Stop Them 

And 

Being Rich Doesn't Gentle Them!

Those Who Seek To Manipulate You Will Always Say 

It Was For Your Own Good

Or They Had To Do It To Open Your Eyes

Or They Did It 

Because 

(Be Still My Beating Heart!)

They Love You! 

Get Real Already! 

Love Does Not Cause Fear, Pain

Distress And Death! 

Manipulators ... By Definition And Declaration

Are Agents Of That Eternally-Damned Satan 

And

They Take Perverse Pleasure In Hurting People 

So That They May Feel Good About 

Their God-Denying, Miserable, Selves!

Lucifer ... Through Greed And Covetousness

And 

With Concentrated Lies

Caused The Fall Of One-Third Of The Angels

Caused Adam And Eve To Sin

Caused Cain To Kill Abel

And

Caused The World-Wide Flood

The Egyptian Bondage

The Death Of Our Dear Jesus

And 

The "Impossible To Happen" Misery That 

You Have Endured 

And 

Are Likely Now Enduring! 

Please Don't Mock Almighty God 

And

Please Don't Join The Enemy 

To Do Satan's Dirty Work! 

Payback Is A Female Dog 

And

"Why Me!?!" 

Is 

A Broken Record! 

Go Around Comes Around! 

Live For The Lord Of Life

And

Not For The Death-Dealing God-Fraud! 

Peace!

SAFE Aka Safely Abiding In The Father's Establishment!

Safe At Home! 

What A Wonderful Expression! 

What A Heart-Felt Need! 

Are You Safe At Home!?! 

Are You Feeling The Need!?! 

Alas, Beloved, There Is Safe 

And 

Then There Is SAFE

Aka Securely Abiding In The Father's Establishment! 

This World Is Not Our Home 

So Safe In The Spiritual Sense Tells Us Clearly That 

We Should Not Feel Too Comfortable Here 

Or Dare To Rest Without Our Dear Savior Near! 

Lest We Forget ... Or Neglect To Remember

We Are In Enemy Territory 

And 

We Will Do Well To Remember 

The Old Saying That You Should 

"Sleep With One Eye Open 

And Your Hand On Your Trigger!" 

Our Eyes Must Be On Our Captain-Commander 

And 

Our Hearts Must Be Always Set To Pray! 

Are You A Praying Person 

On The Side Of The Lord Christ 

Or 

Are You An Agent Of Chaos

A Deceitful Bow Bent Straight And True 

But

Pulling To The Left 

And

Determined To Give Others Stress!?! 

Stop! 

Look At Yourself! 

Determine Who Is Your True Leader! 

Understand The Truth About The Home 

To Which You Are Being Led 

And

Ask Yourself The Penetrating Question: 

"Will I Be Safe In That Space!?!"

Aka "Is That House A Good Home!?!" 

Are You Headed Toward The Perpetual

The Infinite

The Everlasting Safety Of 

The Heavenly Home!?! 

Are You Holding On To Our Dear Lord's Unchanging Hand!?! 

Are You Resting Under The Everlasting Arms 

Where None May Steal Your Joy 

Or Make You Afraid!?! 

There Is No Safety In Or With Man In Control! 

Think On These Things! 

Salvation Is Safety: Jesus Christ ... Alone ... Saves! 

Peace! 

RESISTANCE IS NOT FUTILE: No Need To Fear The Feisty Fiend!

The Lord Jesus Christ Has Not Given To Us 

The Malevolent Spirit Of Fear  

So, Therefore

It Must Be A Putrid Package From The Damned Devil! 

Ungodly Fear Is A Demonic Device: 

The Perfect Love Of The Holy God 

Casts Out Ungodly Fear! 

Ungodly Fear Causes Hope To Decamp: 

Saving Faith Uses Hope As A Lamp 

To Light The Way To The Path That 

Keeps One Within The Borders Of 

The Camp Of Jesus Christ The Lord! 

Beloved, 

There Is A Spiritual Battle Being Waged For Ownership

Aka Possession Of

Aka Control Of

Your Free-To-Choose Mind! 

Jesus Christ The Righteous

Daily, Graciously, Gives To Each Of Us 

A Measure Of His Unfailing Faith 

To Be Aggressively Worked 

To Get Us Through That Day ... Alone! 

Are You Being Evilly Inspired 

To Do Wrong Through Satanic Fear 

Or

Are You Using Your God-Given

Lovingly-Provided  Equipment 

To Do The Good And The Right!?! 

We Cannot Serve Two Masters! 

We Must Not Use Faith Fretfully! 

We Must ... Through Fervent Prayer

Choose To Use Our Daily Gift Of Daily Faith 

To Force Fear To Flee From Us! 

Resistance Is Not Futile! 

Since Resisting The Devil 

By The Word Of God

Through The Grace Of God

Makes Him Flee

Resisting His Instrument Of Torture 

By Using Your Shield Of Faith 

Should Make Ungodly Fear Likewise Flee! 

Brethren, Greatly Beloved

Please Have Godly Fear For The Gracious Father

And 

Most Assuredly Know That

All Will Be Well! 

Peace!

Stop Tekkin' De Short-Cut Bus!

It Is Impossible To Trust The Word Of Almighty God 

And

Diligently Follow His Wise Counsels 

And 

Sure Guidance 

And

"Somehow" End Up In Hell

The Place Prepared For Satan And His Fallen Angels! 

Beloved, 

Almighty God Is Good! 

Jesus Christ The Good Shepherd Always Saves! 

The Holy Spirit Leads Us Into All Truth 

And

The Holy Angels Influence Us To Do The Good 

And 

The Right 

So It Plainly Stands To Reason That 

When We Go Wrong It Is Because 

We Have Chosen To Take The Short-Cut Bus 

To The Long-Road Straight-Path High School 

In Glory For Me By Me! 

Think! 

The Lawless And The Careless 

Who Love To Party In Care-Free

Arrogantly Ask 

"What Does The Ever-Present God See!?!" 

And Snidely Wonder 

"What Does The All-Seeing God Know!?!" 

About Their Dark Of Night Departures 

From Decency And Deliverance! 

There Is No Folly In Following Godly Wisdom 

So Let's Not Slap Skin 

Aka Desire To Companionably Walk Unwisely

- Lawlessly -

With The Workers Of Iniquity 

Aka Planned, Known, Sin! 

Remember, Remember

Don't Ever Forget ... 

Sin Pays In The Currency Called Death 

But

The King Of Love Gives The Gift Of Eternal Life 

To His Free-Will-Submitted

Enduring-All

Faithful

Trusting Followers! 

There Are No Shortcuts To Glory 

And

There Will Be No Long-Haul, Faithful, Christians In Hell! 

Be Captivated By Christ 

Or 

Be Cat-Spraddled By Satan! 

Life 

Is 

About Choice 

So Choose Wisely! 

Peace!

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: CHARACTER: Night-Shade Or Morning Glory!??

Is The Fragrance That You Are Known To Wear 

Of The Night-Shade Variety 

Or Of The Morning Glory Variety!?! 

Is Your Favorite Song Of The Bacchanal Variety 

Or An Encouraging Song Of Zion!?! 

Are You Kind And Helpful To All 

Or Only To Those Who Can Benefit You!?! 

Do You Know That A Negligent Christian 

Is 

As Bad As A Careful Sinner!?! 

Do You Know That You're Responsible 

For The Truth That You Could Have Known 

When You Refuse To Know The Truth That 

Is 

Available To Be Known!?! 

Do You Know That 

You Will Have To Buy All That You Need 

When You Selfishly Choose To Sell All That You Have!?! 

Beloved, 

When You Look Down You See Dirt! 

When You Look Around You See People! 

When You Look Up You See The Lord In Glory! 

The Cross Of Christ Was Planted In Dirt! 

The Outstretched Hands Of Christ 

     On The Accursed Cross Of Calvary 

          Encircled All People! 

When We Look Up To Jesus We Are Healed! 

How Are You Thinking, Walking, Talking, Doing!?! 

Are Your Thoughts Of Self Only 

And 

Your Endeavors To Profit You Wholly And Solely!?! 

If You Desire Blessings Abundant

Please Cheerfully Extend Your Hand To Give! 

If You Prefer To Be Amongst The Cursed

Keep Your Purse Zipped

Your Cupboard Locked

And 

Your Hands Closed: 

Fists Cannot Receive Of The Goodness Of 

The Lord Of Love, Light, And Life! 

Life Is Made For Changing

And 

Living For Jesus Christ The Lord Requires Change! 

Will You Be Amongst The Brave!?! 

Peace Be Upon You!

 

Thought For The Week Ahead:

Never Give Up The Truth!

Never Tolerate Lies!

Never Embrace Wickedness

And 

Always Stand Up With Conviction 

For Our Lord Jesus Christ! 

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

Pray Without Ceasing! 

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

Jesus Christ The King

Is 

Personally Calling You 

So With Godly Fear 

And 

Needful Pleasure

Quickly Open Your Heart's Door!