Digging For Treasure In The 23rd Psalm

I Have A Loving Shepherd! 

I Am An Obedient Sheep!

I Don't Lead The Lord: He Leadeth Me!

He Promised To Fulfill All My Need

And 

To Tell You The Gospel Truth

Because Of Him, I Have No Real Wants!

I Do Not Lie Down In Places Of My Carnal Heart's Choosing

For Those Places Are Always Brown And Dry! 

He Causes Me In Springy Green And Lush Pastures 
To Take My Rest!

My Soul Is Not At Enmity Against My Savior

So This Known Good Ever-Giving Shepherd

Blessing And Faithful

Leads Me Gently Along Untroubled, Still, Peaceful Waters

And 
By His Own Scarred Hand

He Refreshes And Restores, My Soul

Which, Because Of Past Transgressions, Sins, Trespasses, Iniquities

Had Been In A Terribly Dry And Thirsty Land! 

He Turns Me Away From The Path Of Self
From Doing Thing Known-Unrighteousness
But
Terribly Convenient And Enticing

Unto The Paths Of Righteousness

Which Bear His Name ... The Family Name

For Which He Is Justifiably, Truly, Jealous! 

You Know, 

I May Walk Through The Valley Wherein 
Is

The Shadow Of Death

But ... No Surprise To The Household Of Faith

Going There, I Fear Nothing Called Evil

Because 
My Shepherd ... The Good Shepherd

Is 
Ever With Me

And 
Glory Be To The Father

He Is The Lord Of Life!
Angels Excelling In Strength Are Able Companions
Providing Capable And Sure Protection!

The Mortal Life Is Strife

But 
Because He Is The Only Way To The Father

The Truth That Opens The Storehouse Of Heavenly Delight

The Living Word That Is A Lamp That I Carry

And 
A Light That Makes Me See The Way To Plainly Walk

I Don't Have To Wring My Hands With Worry

Or Scratch My Head For Sorrow! 
His Holy Spirit Abides With Me!

He Has A Rod 
But 
Not For Belaboring My Back! 

He Has A Staff To Draw Me Close To Him

And 
Because I Am A Child

Worthy To Be Raised In The Fear And Admonition Of 
The True And Living, Eternal, Holy God
Both Rod And Staff Comfort Me! 

I Am Taught, Directed, Corrected And Protected! 

I Am Blessed 
And 
I Know It! 

He Prepares A Table Of Innumerable Blessings 
In My Own Sight

And
It Is Grandly Displayed 
In The Presence Of Those Who, For His Name

Have Marked Me As Their Enemy! 

It Is Really A Sad Situation For

I Could Tell Them Of What He Has Done For Me

What He Is Doing To And For Me

What He Will Do For Me

What He Has Done For Others
And

What He Could Do For Them

But 
They Have Assumed The Adversary's Attitude 
And 
Undertaken His Rabid Position
But, Nevertheless
I Faithfully Pray For Their Souls' Salvation! 

My Shepherd, The Lord, Anoints My Head
Sets Me Apart

Sanctifies Me For His Service 

With The Holy Oil Of Gladness

The Spirit Of Truth

And

My Cup Of Eternal Blessings

Does, Indeed, Overflow! 

Even In Drought, My Bread And Water Are Sure! 

He Gives Me A Guarantee

- For He Is My Surety And Security - 

Against Sin, Self, Satan, Death, The Grave
And 
Hell! 

I Believe His Word 
So I Keep His Guarantee, His Word In My Hand
Before My Eyes 
And 
On My Lips! 

I Tell The Good News All Around! 

Goodness And Mercy

Are Going To Follow Me All The Short Days Of 
This Mortal-Life Training-For-Heaven Ground

But

In The Fullness Of Time ... His Appointed Time

I Shall Dwell Is His House

- The Lord Of Glory's Great House -

With Him

Having Been Glorified And Immortalized

And
Rendered Incorruptible

For The Ceaseless Ages Of Eternity! 

I Shall Mount Up With Wings As Does The Eagle!

I Shall Run With The Fleet-Footed Gazelle 
And 
Not Be Weary

And

I Shall Walk The Hills Of Zion

And 
I Shall Not Faint! 

The Lord Is, Indeed, My True And Only Shepherd:

I Shall Not Want ... Perishable Things! 

Because He Is, I Am

And

Because He Made Me

And 
Maketh Me To Be Like He Is

I, By His Great Grace, Shall Behold His Face

And

I Shall Only Be Satisfied

When At The Day Only Of His Appointing

I Awake In My Own Flesh

And 
See Myself With My Own Eyes

Adorned With His Likeness! 

What A Glorious Day That Will Be! 

The Shepherd ... My Shepherd 

Is 
The Lord Most High 

And 
Of A Portion Of His Bounty

I Refuse To Be Denied!

His Saving Grace 
Is 
Sufficient For Me! 

Think On This Thing ...

 

 

Only The Lord Is Good 
And 
Only The Lord Does Good For Us Who Are His By Creation

And 

By Redemption! 

Goodness And Mercy Are Attributes Of 
The Character Of The Eternal God

And 

He Can Only Be To Us What He Is ... Naturally! 

Please Dare To Be Blessed: 
Accept Almighty God's Goodness 

And 

Let His Great Mercy Stream Into Your Life Immeasurably! 

With Jesus Christ ... The Lord Who Is Almighty God

As Captain Of Your Mortal Life 

You Are Guaranteed That When This Life Shall End 

You Shall Awaken From Sleep To Live With Him Eternally! 

Be An Ambassador For Christ: 
His Way Leads To The Eternal Life Of Joy And Peace! 

Peace Be Unto You!

The Devil And The Seat!?!

And Do You Know Why Satan, Our Adversary
Is Called A Serpent!?!

I Don't Think So!
Isn't He Just A Slimy Creature!?!

He's Not Slimy!
He's A Slithering Creature!

Satan Can Twist The Truth!
He Can Turn Away From Light!
He Can, Unaffected, Glide Over Goodness!
He Can Negotiate The Torturous Bends
From Doubt To Denial On Through To Unbelief
And
To Put It Bluntly
He Can Do What Our Holy God Can't:

He Can Straight Up Preach
Practice
And
Promulgate
Unholy Dastardly Deceit!

The Living God Holy
Always, Always, Always
Walks The Straight Way
- Directly -
With No Going Backward
No Going Sideways
Ever Going Forward
Unchanging!

He Is Who He Says He Is
And
Does What He Says He Will Do!

I've Got To Warn You ...

Do Not Make Excuses For Satan Or His Sin! 

There Is No Excuse!
His Undoing Was Lusting For Pride Of Place
And
Gross Enjoyment In The Beauty Of His Face
And
The Desire To Receive Undeserved Worship!

But, Why ...

Our Creator
- His Creator -
Left In Satan's Own Hands
The Personal Power Of Will And Choice
And
Satan's Lust For Preeminence
- A Place In Advance Of The Father's Own Son -
Saw Him Putting Between His Own Eyes
A Fully Loaded And Cocked Gun!

Lord, Help Me Now ...

Pride 

Is 

As Acid ... Corroding The Soul
And
Unless It Is Washed Off And Away
All Affected By It
Will Indulge In Own-Sin Self-Pay
Just As Is Satan
Who ... Before His Probation Ran Out
Rejected The High And Holy Helping Hand
Lovingly Extended To Him
By The World's Creator
The Holy Son Of God
Who Became The Incarnated Son Of Man!

Rights And Privileges ...

Check Writing Is A Privilege
Which Must Follow A Few Set Rules:

• Take Out What You Put In Leaving That Behind To Pay Your Fees 
• Don't Exceed Your Overdraft
• Let No One Else Sign Your Checks 
• Do Not Indulge In Check Kite Nor Check Bounce And 
• Acknowledge That The Account May Be Any Time Closed Should You Refuse To Comply With Those Rules Which Cause The Money In And Out-Flows

Excuse Me!
Could You Please Explain
What Having A Checking Account 

Has To Do With Our Topic!?!

Everything!

How So!?!

Your Life 

Is 

Your Checking Account!
Your Overdraft Is Almighty God's Grace And Mercy!

Fees Are The Price You Pay For Sin! 

Bounced Checks And Check Kiting
Are Excuses And Putting Blame On Others
For Your Personal Sin!

Someone Else Signing Your Check
Is You Saying Satan "Made" You Sin!

And

Account Closure Is Death
The Date Of Which No One Knows!

The Rules Apply To All ...

All Of This Applied To Satan!
All Of This Applies To Me And You! 

The Bank 

Is 

The Bank Of Jesus!
The Ten Commandments Are The Rules!
The Commandments Cannot Be Changed
Because
The Writer Himself Will Not
And
We - Only - By Willing Cooperation With Him
Will Receive The Credit Card With The Limit Marked
$1 With Exponentially Infinite Unending Noughts!

Now That Is Overkill!

I Want A Card With That Balance!

It's Available To All Mankind
For A Little Bitty Fee
Called Faith Love Trust Obedience And Belief!

That's Terrific!

Now, Moving Onward ...

The Power Of Satan
Is
The Dominion Of Death!
He Knows That He Is Going To, Himself, Die
And
It Is His Studied Effort To Get As Many Of Us
- As Satanically Possible -
To Permanently Overdraw Our Checking Accounts
Not Having Anything In Our Savings Accounts
To Carry Us Over Any Humps:

No Saving Faith
No Saving Grace
No Salvation By Promise
No Bonds Of Redemption
No Savior
And
No Forever Friend 

From Whom To Borrow Gold Bullion!

People,
We Have A Problem!

Brethren, You Believers
We Know 

And

Have The Solution!

Jesus Christ The Righteous

Paid ... In Advance
The Costs
The Fees
The Overdrafts
Even The ... Our ... Initial Deposit!

Understand This ...

If You're Running With The Big Dogs
The Dragon
The Snake
Your Knowing Of Your Bank Deposit
Will Be Considered ... News: Fake!

But

If You Have Accepted The Good News
And
Have Chosen With The Lord Christ
To Be Lovingly, Faithfully, Intimate
Rest Assured
And
Be Totally Confident That
Satan Has Dropped Into Your Seat
The Thing Called Irrational Hate!

There Will Be Always For You
An Expense 

Such That Your Account 

Will Appear To Be Always Overdrawn!
Whether It Is By Dimes Or Dollars
The Result Is The Same:

Overdrawn! 

Overdrawn! 

Overdrawn!

But

Let That Not Be To You The Problem! 

No Matter What
Hie Thee Ever Always To Your Lord!
Do Not Look Back!
Do Not Look To The Side!

Do Not Be Drawn Aside Or Away!

Suck It Up ...

Pray And Petition
In The Name Of The Lovely Jesus
To The Heavenly Father
Your Need
And
Your Confidence In Christ's Merits
Judiciously
Faithfully
Hopefully
Confide!

Confide!?!

CONFIDE!!

Faith-Debtor's Prison ...

Put Yourself In Debt To The Deliverer!
Seal Yourself In With Your Savior!
Ride Boldly With The Redeemer!
Link Your Life With The Lord
And
Exchange Your Debt Of Sin With Satan
And
Give Up The Seat ...!

... The Seat ... Deceit!

Yup! 

Defrauded By The Fraud!

Easy So!?!

I'm Afraid So!

We Look For Satan To Run Rocket Science
Against Us
When His Tried And Tested Method
Is Mental Arithmetic!

When To Your Life You ... Add ... Jesus
It ... Subtracts ... Your Former World-Loving Peace
So Satan ... To Make You Pay
Maliciously ... Multiplies ... Your Sorrows
And
With Fiendish Pleasure ... Divides ... Your Friends And Families!

He Takes Away What You Love
So That You ... Sorrowing

Will Want To Take In
What He Loves!

Take My Hand, Precious Lord!

Take Your Burden To The Lord
And
Leave It There!

Lord, Lift Me Up!?!

Indubitably!

HAPPY SABBATH + MERCY: Almighty God's Multitude!?! + PRAYER: Lord, Let Me Glory In You!

Carnal Man Tames The Lion
The Elephant
The Whale
The Snake
BUT
No Carnal Man Can Tame The Tongue
AND
With Wild Laughter At This Irony
That Wicked Satan Does Shake!

400 Pound Lion ... Tamed!
7 Ton Elephant ... Tamed!
1300 Pound Brown Bear ... Tamed!
9,000 Pound Whale ... Tamed
But
The Less Than Three Ounce Tiny Tongue Of Man
Is 

As Free As A Bird

AND
Ignited By A Brand From The Willful-Goat Herd
AND
Gleefully Sets Fires Ad Nauseum
AND
Has Tremendous Fun 

Fitfully Stirring Them!

Tiny Tongue Lives In The Terrible Twos!
Tiny Tongue Loves His Glittering Red Shoes!
Tiny Tongue Goes Where Giants Fear To Thread
AND
Holy Angels Won't
AND
Tiny Tongue Is Boss
In The Unregenerated Soul
Until It Is Known That The Body Is Dead!
That Is Dread!

Tiny Tongue Talks Terrible Things Every Day!
Tiny Tongue Plays In Traffic
No Matter What The Head Man Done Say!
Tiny Tongue Is A Tyrant
A Tease
A Tester
A Trip

AND
Tiny Tongue Is A Molester
AND
In Guacamole Parties
He Always Double Dips His Chips!

Maaaaan ...

He Got Bare Lip
AND
He Can't Even Walk!
He Got More Guts Than A Goat
AND
He Does Make Philosophers Choke!

He Does Talk Forward
Froward
AND
Often Acts Facetious, Too!

Bad Talk Is Tiny Tongue's Good For-Profit Business!
He Always Got Fat In The Fire To Check!

AND
He Always Has Something To Collect!

BUT ...

Those Who've Been Bitten
Bullied
Blistered
AND
Blasted By Tiny Tongue
Have Humbly Repaired Unto The Lord
AND
Have Given Unto The Master
Full Control Of That Miscreant
Who Blesses The Living God
AND
Curses His Fellow Man
For He Has Been Activated By 

The Consummate Fraud!

Tiny Tongue Don't Need No Trigger!
Tiny Tongue Does A One, Two, Three
Hit!
Bliss!
What Fun!!

AND
He Runs The Race Before The Sound Of

The Starter's Gun!

Tiny Tongue Is A Scoundrel!
A Rouge ... With A Brogue
AND
His Best Performance
Comes On Flash-Back Day
When He Fetches Up His Guts
AND
Shares Fresh Blows!

Around An Unleashed Tiny Tongue

You'd Better Be On Your Toes

For, Invariably

He Puts On A Spectacular Show!

News Flash ...

There Is Hope For Tiny Tongue!
There Is Help From The Master
For
In The Multitude Of His Mercy ...!

... Wait Up, Bub!
How Can There Be A "Multitude" Of A Mercy!?!

I Never Said "A" Mercy!
I Said HIS Mercy!

I Get It ... I Don't Got It!

Who Is God?!
Able!

What Is God?!
All Seeing!
All Knowing!
Ever Present!

Where Is God?!
Available!

What Is Mercy!
Free!

Free To Whom?!
All!

In Earth Speak
When Some Thing Is Free To All Takers
What Is The Usual Reason?!

There Is Abundance!

It Is Allegedly Something Good!
It Supposed Does Something Good!

It Is Reportedly Good For The Takers!

It Is Proclaimed That Those Who Miss Out
On This Good Thing Will Have Regret!

And ...

Those Who Get The Good
Glean The Goodness
Share The Story
AND

It Lauds The Originator
Spreading Glory ...!

... Wait A Minute!
Minus The Alleged And The Supposed
This Is About The Gospel Story
The Good News Story ...!

... We Get The Good
AND
Almighty God Gets The Glory!

So What You Are Really Telling Is

Almighty God Is Eternal
In Every Place And Time
So, Therefore
His MERCY
Is One AND Eternal
AND
Is Available To Fix
What Ever
Why Ever
Where Ever
When Ever
For
Who Ever
If And
And Because!
Right! ?!

Hole In One! 

Absolutely!

Remember
That Almighty God Has Ways To Save Us
That We Don't Know Anything About!

We Surely Need Him
To Save Us From Tiny Tongue!

PRAYER:

Lord, 

Here Is My Tiny Tongue

Starting Fires

Creating Strife All Around!

I Beseech You, Lord 

In The Name Of Christ The Righteous

Who Purchased My Pardon

Which Gives Me Access To Thee

Please

Send The Angel

With The Golden Tongs

With A Coal From Heaven's Altar

To Cleanse My Now-Wicked Tiny Tongue

To Cause Him To Speak Right

To Sing Praise

To Utter Truth

And

To Get Us Out Of Waiting Disaster!

Your Mercy, Lord

Frees And Changes Me! 

Your Mercy Feeds And Blesses Me! 

Your Mercy Clothes And Sanctifies Me!

Your Mercy, Free

Fills

Fortifies

And

Causes Me

To Fruitful Be!

Lord, 

Let Me Glory In You!

Let Your Glory 

Your Character

Your Goodness

Give Me Victory Over Sin

So That Others May See

Your Glory

Shining From My Face

And

Desire To Be Like Christ

And

Take Up In Heaven

Their Own Prepared By Christ

Personal Place!

AMEN!!!

Who Would Think
That A Tiny Tongue
Could Wield Such Power?!
Could Keep One Out Of Heaven!
Could Cast One Into Hell Fire?!

That's An Irony If I Even Know
What An Irony Is!

Hear The Story Now ...

Tiny Tongue
- Known Lit By The Fires Of Hell -
Lit A Fire That Caused His Neighbor
AND
His Own Head, Hell
AND
Was Immolated By His Own Fire!
He Burned Like Hell!

Sad, Sad, Sad!

Yes ... But ...!

... I'm Taking Up Almighty God's Offer ...!

... His Multitude Of Mercy
Is Free
Free To Me
Good For Me
AND
Available To Every Body!

God's Free Mercy Streameth

Over All The World

And

Tongues Unregenerated

Can Fall Upon It

And Be Cured! 

No Sin Too Small Nor Too Grand

Can Fail

Fail Of Finding Help

And, So

I Tell You, Brethren

Give Almighty God's Mercy

Your Necessary And Utmost Respect!

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

Almighty God's Mercy Saves Sinners!

 

Exemplar!

Their Father set The Example
His Children Followed The Way
They all Walked After The Devil
Not One of Them Ever from him Strayed!

The Mother Set The Example
Her Children Followed The Way
Boy and Girl Alike Worked in The Flesh Pots
Money and Access to Things Held Sway!

We Looked at Both of These Examples
We Sought to Learn Another Way
And That Is When We Learned of The Godhead
And Sought to Let Them In Our Lives Have The Say!

This Godhead Really Had It Going On
Three Distinct Personalities
Three Distinct Operations
Father, Son and Spirit in Agreement Three!

The Son Called His Father His God!
The Father Called His Son God, Too
And Father and Son Held High The Holy Spirit
Saying: 

"Blaspheme The Holy Spirit 

and 

There Is No Forgiveness for Any Of You!"

The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit
Agree in Everything in Heaven and In Earth
And They All Had Agreed That The Son
Would go to The Earth to Be Birthed!

They Had Agreed Before The Earth's Creation
That The Son was To Be The Willing Sacrifice
And At The Start of The Son's Earthly Ministry
These Three Were Individually - at One and The Same Time - Identified!

Jesus Christ, The Son, Came Out of The Water of Baptism and
As The Holy Spirit Descended on Him - The God Man
His Father's Voice from Heaven Testified:

"This Is My Beloved Son, In Whom I Am Well Pleased!"

After Which He Went To The Desert To Be By Satan Cruelly Tried!

The Son Said He Did What His Father Did - He Worked
The Spirit Says What He Hears
The Message is Marked
The Meaning is Clear
There is No Tangent - No Misinterpretation to Fear!

These Three are Cooperation Epitomized
These Three Cooperate for Mankind by Them To Be Justified, and 
In The Great Day Glorified
These Three Do All To Help Man To Answer The Master's Call
These Three By Jesus' Death Did All To Heal The Breach Created By Adam's Fall!

The Example The Three Set is The Example
Of What Right Through Light Can Achieve
The Father Commanded and
The Son did Obey
And The Holy Spirit Comforted Him On The Way!

The Son Was Sacrificed
So That Man to His Father May Be Reconciled!
At The Appointed Time That Son Did Arise and
He Went Back To The Father
But Sent Down The Holy Ghost
To Guide His Believing Children
Whom He'd Promised Never To Leave Standing
Directionless and Alone, Bereft and Lost!

The Son Before The Father
Petitions For Our Peace
Stating Quite Clearly:

"Father, I Paid Their Price!"

Let Them to Us Come Home! 

Please Grant The Release!"

I Make These Points To Say This:

Any Example IS An Example

And It Will Be Followed - Even Slavishly - By Somebody!

Therefore, Since, As Christians

We Are The Head - Not The Tail

Let Us Not Set Any Old Kind of Example

Let Us Not Set A Bad Example

Let Us Not Set The Example Misconstrued

Let Us Not Set The Example Subject to Interpretation!

Let Us Set The Example of The Exemplar!

Let Us Set The Example of The Holy - Not The Profane!

Let Us Let Our Example Be Worthy of Our Christian Calling!

Let Us Shine An Exemplary Light In The Darkness, Again And Again!

Let Us Pray That Our Good Example 

Will Cause Someone To Call Jesus Christ Blessed

Encourage Them to Sin and Iniquity Confess

To From This World's Follies Regress

To Answer The Loving Master's Behest

And Pass From Death to Life

After This Life's Pass Fail Test!

Let Us By Our Good Example 

Encourage A Sinner to Come Home!

The Master - Himself - Will Do The Rest

For He Who Loves Us Truly

Truly Loves Us The Best!