Those Who Invoke The God of Israel

“Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are named Israel

And who came forth from the loins of Judah,

Who swear by the name of the Lord

And invoke the God of Israel,

But not in truth nor in righteousness.

For they call themselves after the holy city

And lean on the God of Israel;

The Lord of hosts is His name.

I declared the former things long ago

And they went forth from My mouth, and I proclaimed them.

Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.

Because I know that you are obstinate,

And your neck is an iron sinew

And your forehead bronze,

Therefore I declared them to you long ago,

Before they took place I proclaimed them to you…” (Isaiah 48:1-5 NASB1995)

This is Old Covenant, and it was speaking to the children of Israel at that time. But there are parallels between this and what is going on today with all those who profess faith in Jesus Christ, and/or who proclaim belief in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For all who believe in Jesus Christ, in truth and in righteousness, are biblical and spiritual Israel today. For God, in his mercy, has made Jew and Gentile one people by faith in the Lord Jesus.

[Genesis 17:7-9; Genesis 18:19; John 8:18-19,38-47; Romans 2:28-29; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 9:4-8,25-28; Romans 11:1-36; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 3:16,26-29; Galatians 4:22-31; Ephesians 2:11-22; Ephesians 3:6; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-16; Hebrews 8:6-13;1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:22; Jude 1:5; Revelation 2:9; Revelation 3:9]  

And today we are going to apply this passage of Scripture, as much as is possible, to biblical Israel today and to all who claim to be those who are of faith in Jesus Christ. Although biblically all who are of faith in Jesus Christ are Israel, we don’t generally refer to ourselves as Israel, but rather as Christians and/or as the church. But today they are one and the same, i.e. the church, the body of Christ, is biblical Israel by faith in Jesus Christ.

Nonetheless, not all who profess faith in Jesus Christ are biblical Israel, the church, the body of Christ. Many are they who invoke (appeal to, beseech) the God of Israel, but not in truth nor in righteousness. They call themselves Christians, or they call themselves Israel, and they lean on God to bless them and to give them what they want, to save them from their sins and to ensure them of heaven when they die, but while they continue to be obstinate people who go their own way, doing what they want to do.

And in 1 Corinthians 10:1-22 we learn that we are not to follow the example of the Israelites of old who were obstinate and rebellious against the Lord, and so most of them died in the wilderness and did not get to go into the Promised Land, and they did not get to enter into God’s eternal rest (Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13). Why? Because most of them craved evil, and they were idolaters, and revelers, and the sexually immoral and adulterers who put the Lord to the test and who grumbled against him.

And what did Jesus say? He said that not everyone who calls him, “Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who is doing the will of God the Father who is in heaven. And one day many who profess his name will hear him say, “I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.” And he said that if we want to come after him that we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow him in obedience, or we will lose our lives for eternity (see Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:23-26).

Therefore, it is not enough to just invoke (call upon, entreat) the Lord for salvation from sin and for eternal life with God. But we must be those who die with him to sin and who now walk in obedience to his commands in holy living, in practice, though not necessarily in absolute sinless perfection. But lack of perfection is never to be used as an excuse for deliberate and habitual sin. For if sin is what we practice, and not obedience to God, we will not inherit eternal life with God, regardless of what our lips profess.

Gospel:[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

Seek the Lord  

Based off Isaiah 55

An Original Work / July 20, 2012

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Musical Instrumentation by Mark Bradley

“Come to Me all you who thirst; come to waters.

Listen to Me, and eat what’s good today,

And your soul will delight in richest of fare.

Give ear to Me, and you will live.

I have made an eternal covenant with you.

Wash in the blood of the Lamb.”

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him. 

Let the wicked forsake his way, in truth.

Let him turn to the Lord, and he will receive mercy.

Freely, God pardons him.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,”

declares the Lord, our God.

“My word that goes out of My mouth is truthful.

It will not return to Me unfulfilled.

My word will accomplish all that I desire,

And achieve the goal I intend.

You will go in joy and be led forth in peace.

The mountains will burst into song… before you, 

And all of the trees clap their hands.”

https://vimeo.com/379408296 

Those Who Invoke the God of Israel

An Original Work / September 3, 2025

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

All The Paths of The Lord

 

Make Me Know Your Ways, O Lord

“Make me know Your ways, O Lord;

Teach me Your paths.

Lead me in Your truth and teach me,

For You are the God of my salvation;

For You I wait all the day.” (Psalm 25:4-5 NASB1995)

When I read this passage of Scripture this evening, what came to mind is how this modern day altered “gospel” message, which is so popularized today among the people, is the exact opposite of this. So much of what is being accepted as “the gospel” today is teaching that God does it all and nothing is required of us other than a profession of faith in Jesus Christ. Many are teaching that it is not required of us that we die to sin and obey God with our lives, in practice, as though that is supposed to be good.

But what this psalmist expressed here is the very essence of what our salvation is all about! We should want our Lord to make us to know his ways, and we should desire to know his ways and to have him teach us his paths. We should want to be led in his truth and righteousness so that we walk in that truth, and so that we do not follow after the lies which are so popular. Our desire should be for him to do his will, and to live holy lives which are pleasing to him, all for his glory, and in his power, wisdom, and strength.

And his salvation, which he provided for us via Jesus’ death and resurrection, is all about us dying to sin and living for God in walks of obedience to his commands. For by faith in Jesus Christ we are crucified with Christ in death to sin, and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. For if sin is what we obey, and not obedience to God, we will not inherit eternal life with God, regardless of what our lips profess.

So, please understand that what the Psalmist wrote here is what the life of a truly born again Christian should look like. We should not be those who are looking for a way out from under having to obey God, to where we can now continue in sinful lifestyles, convinced that God will not judge us. For we are to love God, and to love God is to obey him. And if we do not obey him, and if sin is what we practice, we do not know God, we are not in fellowship with Christ, and we do not have salvation from sin and eternal life with God.

So, be like the psalmist! Be people of God who are Jesus Christ’s true disciples (followers) who love the Lord, and who want to serve the Lord with your lives, and for whom that is joy, and not a drudgery or something to be avoided. Want to know the ways of the Lord so that you can walk in them, in the power of God. And live out the salvation which Jesus provided for us out of our bondage to sin, into walks of surrender and submission to the will and purpose of God for our lives. And then love the people of this world, too.

Gospel:[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

As the Deer 

By Martin J. Nystrom

Based off Psalm 42:1

As the deer panteth for the water

So my soul longeth after You

You alone are my heart's desire

And I long to worship You

You alone are my strength, my shield

To You alone may my spirit yield

You alone are my heart's desire

And I long to worship You

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZv3jzOTE70

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Make Me Know Your Ways, O Lord

An Original Work / September 2, 2025

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Video Talk on Same Subject

https://youtu.be/z3EQMOT-0w8

Caution: This link may contain ads

When I Think on My Ways

“The Lord is my portion;

    I promise to keep your words.

I entreat your favor with all my heart;

    be gracious to me according to your promise.

When I think on my ways,

    I turn my feet to your testimonies;

I hasten and do not delay

    to keep your commandments.

Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me,

    I do not forget your law.

At midnight I rise to praise you,

    because of your righteous rules.

I am a companion of all who fear you,

    of those who keep your precepts.

The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love;

    teach me your statutes!” (Psalm 119:57-64 ESV)

If the Lord is our portion, what should that look like in our day to day lives? It means he is our inheritance, our reward, someone in whom we partake, with whom we participate, that we have a share in, our treasure. So we have a part in this relationship. It isn’t all about what God/Christ does for us, but it includes what he requires of us, in return, as our part in this relationship. For faith in Jesus is a marriage relationship between us and our Lord.

So, what did the psalmist say? “The Lord is my portion; I promise to keep your words.” If we are of genuine biblical faith in Jesus Christ, our lives are no longer our own to be lived however we want to live them, but we now belong to Christ. We have been crucified with Christ in death to sin, and we have been raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but now as servants of Christ and of his righteousness.

We should be those for whom obedience to God/Christ is our practice, and sin should no longer be our habit. And following the Lord in obedience to his commands should be our delight, not a drudgery. And we should not be those who try to find loopholes (excuses, escapes) to try to “worm our way out of” (cleverly and dishonestly) having to obey the Lord and his teachings. Our heart’s true desire should be to want to do what is pleasing to God.

Even if the wicked use clever means to try to ensnare us, to try to get us to compromise our faith and convictions, and to back down from moral purity or walks of obedience to our Lord, we should be those who hold on tight to our Lord and to his teachings, that we might remain steadfast in faith and in obedience to his commands. Our commitments to our Lord should be so strong that we will be willing to rise even at midnight to give our Lord praise.

And all of us should have the fear of God within us, believing God and what he teaches us in his word, including believing his warnings to us and his restrictions and his commands, and what he teaches us regarding the consequences of unrepentant sins, continued deliberate and habitual sin, and negligence and/or refusal to obey his commandments (New Covenant). For he says we will not have eternal life with him if sin is what we practice.

And this fear of God is giving him honor, respect, worship, veneration, loyalty, devotion, obedience, reverence, adoration, and commitment, believing his word and following him in obedience to his will and to his ways. This is what he requires of us if we are to have salvation from sin and eternal life with God. But this is a lifetime process of spiritual growth and maturity as we are being molded into the likeness of Jesus Christ by God.

And all of this stems from the Love of God which he has for us. For “love” is not being a permissive parent who allows their children to live however they want to live. As a loving God, he sets boundaries and limits for us, and he exercises divine discipline and correction to keep us on the right path. And he empowers us and he strengthens us to resist the devil, and to flee temptation, and to follow him in walks of surrender to his will for our lives.

Gospel:[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer 

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897

Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,

This is my constant longing and prayer;

Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,

Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,

Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,

Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,

Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,

Holy and harmless, patient and brave;

Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,

Willing to suffer others to save.

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,

Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;

Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,

Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,

Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;

Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;

Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrYhiK2nQBg 

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When I Think on My Ways

An Original Work / September 2, 2025

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Time is Not Our Friend

Time, it is not on our side.

Not from God can any hide.

He sees all, not Him escape.

Trust in Him. It’s not too late.

Time is ticking, ticking by.

Don’t on time you now rely.

No one’s promised other day.

Trust in Christ, do not delay.

‘Morrow may not ever come.

Will for many, not for some.

Faith in Christ, please do it now.

To our Lord your life now bow.

Crucified with Christ to sin.

Obey God, now live in Him.

Walk with Jesus every day.

Bow before Him, kneel and pray.

Now surrender all to God.

Do not fake it, not a fraud.

Love sincerely, truth be told.

Share the gospel, be ye bold.

Tell the truth and not the lies.

Don’t on flesh you now rely.

Do not fear what others say.

Walk in truth, and do not stray.

Love our Jesus, follow Him.

Do not let your lamps go dim.

Shine the light of Jesus Christ.

Not let faith be taken heist.

Time, well it is not our friend.

Not on time must we depend.

Live as though it’s your last day.

Live for Christ in every way.

An Original Work / September 1, 2025

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

This is a video of me reading the poem, "Time is Not Our Friend," and then me talking about what that means for us today, in connection with these being the last days before the return of Christ and the evidence we can see each day of the times in which we now live, and the importance of making certain that our hearts are right with God.

https://youtu.be/-oiFmLPHm6o

Sexual Immorality Among You

“It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.

“For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

“Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” (1 Corinthians 5:1-8 ESV)

Let’s talk about what this looks like today. Many are they who profess faith in Jesus Christ, many of whom attend weekly “church” services, who are engrossed in sexual sin, particularly in the area of pornography addiction, but not limited just to that. They are the selfish, the self-indulgent who follow after the instincts of their sinful nature, who do what they do in secret where no one else can see what they are up to. They are those who are following after the lusts of their flesh without regard for who gets hurt.

But it isn’t that the church at large (as a whole, in general) is not aware that this is going on. They are! It is that most of them are not willing to do anything about the situation. And it isn’t that they are ignorant of such Scripture passages as this, but that they would rather ignore them so that they don’t have to biblically deal with the situation at hand. Some church gatherings will provide support groups for the sexually addicted, but that is not biblical, and those groups don’t always result in God’s required results.

Now, with the invention of the internet, but particularly the smartphone, anyone of any age who has access to a smartphone, which fits in their pockets, has access to an entire world of evil on a device, at their fingertips, in the privacy of a corner in a room, even in a crowded room, where no one else can see what they are viewing. And porn is extremely addictive, and it is taking captive so many people who profess faith in Jesus Christ, even many children. Even many pastors of “churches” are addicted to porn.

Instead of the church at large following the biblical guidelines in how to deal with unrepentant sexual sin and idolatry and adultery among their members (or attendees), it seems that most of them here in the USA have chosen, instead, to soften God’s requirements for salvation from sin and for eternal life with God. And the majority, it appears, are teaching that all we have to do is make a profession of faith in Jesus, and now all our sins are forgiven, and heaven is guaranteed us when we die, but regardless of how we live.

There are some gatherings which will stress repentance and obedience to God and holy living, but will then end up making those optional, as though they are recommended, but not required of God for true salvation. And so the addicted are using these diluted “gospel” messages as their shields of protection to avoid taking responsibility for their sins. I hear so many professing Christians say that they don’t have to repent (turn from their sins) and they don’t have to obey God, and they call that God’s grace.

Now God has spoken to his church through passages of Scripture such as this, and through many more which talk about the consequences of unrepentant sin and disobedience to God, many of which deal with the subjects of adultery, idolatry, sexual immorality, sensuality, and the like. So it isn’t that the church is not aware that the Bible teaches that we must die to sin and obey God as part of biblical God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ. But so many today are ignoring or writing off those Scriptures.

But the Scriptures make it quite clear that biblical faith in Jesus Christ, which comes from God, and is not of our own doing, will result in us dying to sin and walking in obedience to our Lord, and to his commands, in practice, or it is not biblical faith which saves. They also make it quite clear that if we who profess faith in Jesus Christ continue in deliberate and habitual sin, and not in walks of obedience to our Lord in holy living, that we will not inherit eternal life with God, regardless of what faith our lips have professed.

So, please know what the Scriptures teach, and please obey the Lord and his teachings, for one day we are all going to be judged according to our deeds.

Gospel:[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

As the Deer 

By Martin J. Nystrom

Based off Psalm 42:1

As the deer panteth for the water

So my soul longeth after You

You alone are my heart's desire

And I long to worship You

You alone are my strength, my shield

To You alone may my spirit yield

You alone are my heart's desire

And I long to worship You

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZv3jzOTE70

Caution: This link may contain ads

Sexual Immorality Among You

An Original Work / September 1, 2025

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

The Prudent Sees Danger

“The prudent sees danger and hides himself,

    but the simple go on and suffer for it.

The reward for humility and fear of the Lord

    is riches and honor and life.

Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked;

    whoever guards his soul will keep far from them.

Train up a child in the way he should go;

    even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:3-6 ESV)

If we are prudent, we are sensible, wise, careful, cautious, watchful and guarded. We are on the alert for danger, and we do not go where we know we might be tempted to do evil. We do not tempt fate. We don’t play with sin. If we are watching something on TV or on the internet, and all of a sudden it takes a wrong turn, we turn it off. If the internet brings up an inappropriate advertisement, we click out of it. We guard our hearts and minds against all that is evil, and we do not allow ourselves to stray.

But the foolish, the immature, the childish, the irresponsible, the self-indulgent, and the self-absorbed go on, and are punished for it, i.e. they pay the price of their selfish and foolish choices based on their sinful desires. And the punishment may simply be what their wrong choices do to themselves, to their own minds, bodies, and hearts. But it could result in the destruction and/or in the dissolution of a marriage, or their own children following in their footsteps. Or it could result in a legal arrest and imprisonment, as well.

From a spiritual perspective, though, we must know that the Scriptures teach us who profess faith in Jesus Christ that if sin is what we practice, and not holiness, righteousness, and obedience to our Lord and to his New Covenant commands, that we will not inherit eternal life with God. For Jesus Christ gave his life up for us on that cross, and he put our sins to death with him, and he rose from the dead, victorious over sin, Satan, death, and hell, so we will die to sin and now walk (in conduct) in obedience to our Lord.

And there is a reward for humility and the fear of the Lord. For if we are humble, we are unpretentious, modest, meek, and the opposite of arrogant and prideful. And the fear of the Lord is in giving him honor, value, and respect, but also it is believing him and what his word teaches, thus taking it seriously, and putting it into daily practice in our lives. And the rewards are eternal rewards, with spiritual riches (fruitfulness, productivity, abundance) of grace, salvation from sin, and the hope of eternal life with God in heaven.

But thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked. For they are those who are easily persuaded to sin against God and against other humans; who are easily tempted to do what they know is evil, and what they know will hurt other humans. And if they frequent the internet, and if they normally go to places on the internet where they know they might be tempted to sin, they are just opening themselves wide to committing sin habitually and deliberately, and to continue on that path without the hope of salvation.

Now, when this says to train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it, this may not mean what we may have been taught that it means. For, in reality, there are no guarantees that we can influence anyone in such a way that fully determines the way in which they will go, for every human being makes their own choices. I was severely abused as a child by a wicked father who exemplified hypocrisy, but I did not become an abuser, and I am not now living as a hypocrite.

And “in the way he should go” could also be translated as “in accordance with his way,” in the way in which he is bent, i.e. according to his natural inclination. So this would be more like if we give way to children’s natural and sinful inclinations, and we spoil them, and if we yield to their temper tantrums and to their manipulative natures, then we are preparing them to potentially become the self-indulgent, the self-absorbed, and the selfish who demand their own way who will pay the price for their rebellious ways.

So, first of all we need to be those who are setting the right example of what it means to be a Christian and a follower of Christ. And this is not saying that we will be absolutely perfect in every way all of the time in setting the right example, but we should be consistent and persistent in our walks of faith in obedience to our Lord, and sin must no longer be what we practice. And then we can lead others to follow the Lord in walks of obedience to his commands, and no longer to walk in sin, so they have eternal life with God.

Gospel:[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

For Our Nation  

An Original Work / September 11, 2012

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Recording Via Gerry Peters, music producer and arranger

Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.

Jesus Christ is gently calling

You to follow Him in all ways.

Trust Him with your life today.

Make Him your Lord and your Savior.

Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.

He will forgive you of your sin;

Cleanse your heart, made new within.

Men betraying: Our trust fraying.

On our knees to God we’re praying,

Seeking God to give us answers

That are only found in Him.

God is sovereign over all things.

Nothing from His mind escaping.

He has all things under His command,

And will work all for good.

Jesus Christ is gently calling

You to follow Him in all ways.

Men deceiving: We’re believing

In our Lord, and interceding

For our nation and its people

To obey their God today.

He is our hope for our future.

For our wounds He offers suture.

He is all we need for this life.

Trust Him with your life today.

http://youtu.be/_XQkomPFz4Y

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The Prudent Sees Danger

An Original Work / September 1, 2025

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love