THE SWEET PSALMIST'S WORDS: Reading Between The Lines!

Okay, Brethren!
Today We Shall Go Deep
And
We Shall Try Valiantly

To Hear What It Is That King David
Is 

Really Telling Us About This Great God 

He Worshiped And Faithfully Served!

Let's Read KJV Psalms 86 Verses 1-5

To Get The Feel For The Heart Writing The Words

And

Then I'll Give My  Verse By Verse Take On It!

1 Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: 

for I am poor and needy.

I Believe That The Shepherd, Psalmist, King 

Is Pleading With And, Obviously
Believing On The Lord
And Comforting Himself By Praying Thus:

God Of Earth And Glory,
I Know You And I Need You Now, Today!
I Know That You Are Listening
So Listen To Me Again, Please!
To Your Willing Servant, Please Draw Near!

You Are Rich And Have Blessings To Give

And I Know That You Can Provide What You Know I Need
And I Need What You Alone Can Give To Me!
I Trust You!

2 Preserve my soul; for I am holy: 

O thou my God, 

save thy servant that trusteth in thee.

I'm Not Just Asking You To Keep My Mortal Body!
I'm Asking You To Save Me From The Second Death
Because You Are My God
And I Have Chosen To Live The Holy Life
That You Have Commanded Me To Live

And Have Provided The Means With Which

I Can Be Successful! 

Lord, 

I Am Actively Doing What You Say!
I Am Available To You
And I Am Willing And Able Always 

To Serve You With Love And Diligence!

You Are Worthy Of My Service
My Faith And My Worship
Because You Have Proven To Me, Personally
That You Are Almighty God ... And Able!

I Can Close My Eyes In Vulnerable Sleep
Knowing That With You I Am Safe

And Knowing That You Will Never Deceive Me
Your Humble Servant Who Is Walking By Faith
And Not By Lying Eyesight!

3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: 

for I cry unto thee daily.

We Have A Relationship, Lord!
I Deserve Justice But Because I Know Your Character
I Am Pleading For Your Gift Of Mercy
Because I Acknowledge The Sins That 

I Have Committed Against Your Holy Name!

I Am Broken!
My Heart Is Contrite!
I Repent!
I Cannot And I Will Not Hide From You!

We Commune Every Day About Everything!
We Share Intimately!
I Tell You My Dreams, My Hopes
My Triumphs
My Failures
My Sorrows, My Shame
And You Correct, Direct, And Protect Me
And You Lead Me
Showing Me How, When, Where To Walk
How To Go Out

And How To Come In!

See, There Are Tears Coming From My Eyes
Because Our Communion Is Not Superficial!
I Know That You Feel What I Am Feeling!
I Love You Till It Hurts!

I Know That You Love Me Sacrificially

And Will Prove It In The Day Soon To Come!
I Worship You!

4 Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, 

O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

Dear Lord,

You Bring Me Joy!
I Humble Myself Before 

So That You Do Not Have To Shame Me!

I Find My Pleasure In You!
Do It Again Today, Please! 

Raise Me Up

For All I Can Is Make The Effort To Walk Toward You:
Receive My Life And Make Me Like You! 

I Have No Being Without You!

You Are Above!
I Am At Your Footstool
And I Am Grateful For Your Condescension That 

Permits Me To Your Holiness
To Draw Near

And Without Ungodly Fear!

5 For thou, Lord, art good, 

and ready to forgive; 

and plenteous in mercy 

unto all them that call upon thee.

Dear Master,
I See And I Appreciate Your Character!
I Am Blessed And I Know It!

What Wondrous Love This Is

With Which I Am Covered! Why Do You Love Me So!?! 

This Is Perfect Love! 

I Am Amazed That The Holy God
High And Lifted Up
Jealous For His Name
Not Excusing The Guilty
Is Ever Willing To Forgive 

The Repentant Sinner Like Me
Who Chooses To Call
Not On A False God
- A Dumb Idol -
But On The Glorious God
Who Sees, Knows, Was, Is
Ever Present, All-Feeling And Eternal!

You Are Good!
You Give Good Gifts!
You Bless

And Glory, Hallelujah, Lord
You Forgive!

Brethren,

King David Actively, Personally,

Intimately Knew His God
His Master
His King
And 

His Heart Was Glad!

We Are Instructed To Speak To The Lord
As To A Friend
A Trusted Companion
Whilst Never Forgetting That He Is
The Holy God!

I Sincerely Urge Us To Approach With Love

And

Be Humbled By

And

Grateful For 

The Privilege Of Personally Knowing Him

And

Having Him Be An Active Participant

In Our Daily Lives!

Speak The Truth For He Knows Your Thoughts
Your Actions
And
Is Aware Of All Your Motives!

The Lord God Almighty Is Available And Able ... Willing
And Ready To Help You

And

Just So You Know Who Your Best Friend Is:

He Creates

And

Though He Takes No Pleasure
In Such A Strange Act

He Destroys

And

Surprise, No Surprise
He Loves You ... And Me, Too
Personally!

Any Thoughts About What We Have Covered Today!?!

I'm Sure That I Speak For Everyone Here
When I Say:

I Desire To Know The Living, Holy, God
In The Same Personal, Intimate, Frank Way
That King David Knew The Lord
His Almighty God!

AMEN!!!

Brethren,

We All Can Be As King David Was!
He Knew That To Know Almighty God
Was To Have A Real Life
And
Not Just An Existence!

When You Sin, Confess And Repent!
When You're Happy, Rejoice In The Lord!
When You're In Sorrow, Cry Unto The Lord!
If You Love The Lord, Tell Someone!
If You're Just Glad To Be Alive
Bless The Lord With Your Praise

And

Just Because The Lord Is Our Shepherd
Our Hope, Help And Salvation
Pray, Pray, Pray ...!

... All Day And Every Day
No Matter What Others May Think
Do Or Say!

Praying Is One Of Our Choicest Blessings!

Praying, Beloved, Keeps Satan At Bay!

Praying, Beloved, Keeps Us Shut In With The Lord!

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: Benighted Shepherds + PRAYER: Lord, Lift Us Up!

The Day Is Now Here

When Men Shall Have No Fear

Of Lying To The Lord's Flock

By Tickling Them In The Ear!

I Give To You 

A Word Of Caution

I Tell You

Do Not Them Fear

They Are Of Their Master The Devil

AND

God Has A Place

For Them All Prepared!

Unrighteousness

May Prosper For A Season

Wickedness

May Last A Long Night

BUT

Jesus Christ

Who Cursed The Fig Tree

AND

The Jerusalem Temple

Keeps Very Good Records

Of Those Who Do

His People's Prosperity

Blight!

PRAYER:

Oh, Lord,

Hear My Lament

For In Sorrow

My Heart I Rent!

How, Lord

Can I Lift Holy Hands To You

In A Congregation

That Pays Homage

To You Know Who

Giving The Gift Of Praise

And Worship

To Him Who

Has Nothing

With You

To Do?

Lord,

Why Should True Believers

On The Faith Of Our Lord Christ

Give Our Pennies And Dollars

To Support The Work Of The Fraud?

Should We Not Be

Good Stewards Of Our Increase

And Stop Letting Charlatans

Our Little Pockets Fleece?

Lord,

How

In Good Conscience

Can We Come Before Your Face

Praying And Praising

Led By Men And Women

Whose Living Is A Christian Disgrace?

Who Sow To Their Souls Pleasure

Who Please Their Bodies -  Not Their Lord

Who Live By The Eye -  Not By God To Live And To Die

Who Give Love To The Self

Who Measure Prosperity

By The Many Toys On Their Shelves

Who Live For New Money

Who Cry:

"My Money!  Please, Give Me More! "

Who Have No Desire 

To Reach The Blissful Shore

For

Their Shore Is Their Checkbook

Their Diamond Black Charge Card

The Invitation To Majestic Palaces

To Honor Man As God

Who Have No Love For The Sin-Sick

Who Sickness And Acknowledging Sin Do Utterly Bore

And Who

For Want Of Another Bauble

Will Send A Seeking Soul

Through Satan's Wide-open

And Majestic Front Door!?

Oh, Lord

I Beseech You

Have Mercy

On This Remnant Flock In The Open Field

Who Need To Be Led By The True Shepherd

And Not By Crooks And Charlatans

Liars And False Prophets

Outright Thieves

And

Demons Called Miracle-working Men

Calling: 

"Depend On Us! Depend!

God Did Us To You Send!"

Lord,

You Promised My King Jesus

Our Beloved Captain

And Commander

In This Spiritual War

That He Would Not Lose A Soul 

That You To Him Gave!

Lord, I Believe What You Say

And For This Reason

I'll Be Brave 

- I Mean No Disrespect -

And Make Here A Demand

That You Live Up To The Word - Holy - 

That Through Inspiration

You - The Living God -

As Blessed Comfort To A Fallen Race

Gave!

Lord,

Lift Us Up!

We Want To See ... Jesus!

We Give You Our Humble Praise!

Oh, Lord, We Adore You!

So, Save Us, Lord! Save!

AMEN!

Looking For And Finding God

I Wanted To Serve God!
My Soul Desired A God To Worship
BUT
I Was In A Quandary!

Where Could I "Find" God?

There Was A Church On The Corner!
There Was A Church In The Middle Of The Block 
On The Corner Of Each Long Short Street
Where All The People Flock!

There Was The Pretty Church
The Proud Church
The Finished Church
AND
The Church - Building Incomplete!
AND
There Was Even The Church
Where You Could Purchase A Velvet Covered Seat!

There Was The Church On Broadway
There Was The Church On The Narrows
There Was The Church Full Of Blessings
AND
There Was The Church Of Bare Laughs!

NOW ...

ALL The Churches
"Had God!"
ALL The Churches 
"Had The Only God!"
AND
ALL The Churches Had
"God -  For Real!"

AND ...

There Was "God Spectacular!"
AND
The "Real God In The Cave!"

I Was In A Pickle!
For 
ALL The Different Churches
ALL Had The Same God Only Different With Specificity a/k/a
"Choose Make Your Own God To Order!"

BY NOW ...

My Pickle Had Pepper Problems!

AFTER SOME SERIOUS THOUGHT ...

I Remembered My Granny Telling Me
When I Was In The Grass Hopper Grade 
- I Was Small -
That:

"Making One's Own God's Idolatry! - Don't Do It!
You Must Worship The Living God!  
You Must Worship The Every Where
Every Day
In Everything
In Who Is Everything
Can't Be Fazed By Your Something
Never Behind On Anything
God 
Who Created You
Who Sustains You
In Whom Is Your Life
Who Will See You Through The Strife
The God In Whom Is Eternal Life
AND NOT
One Who Cavorts
In Pleasure Palaces And Resorts!
God Is Your Friend
BUT
You And God Are Not Company!"

I Could Go On But YOU Get The Drift,  Right?!

The One Thing That Stood Out From Granny's Lecturing Was This:

"God -  Almighty God
The Holy God
Is The God Of Order
The God In Whom There Is No Shadow Of Turning!
His Word Is Who He Is!"

Well ...

That Left Out All The Brand Name Church Gods!

My Granny Had Given Me My King James Bible
When I Reached The Age Of Understanding

So ...

I Prayed 
AND
Daily Read My King James Bible!

After A While ...

Because I Was Sincerely Seeking
The True And Only Holy God
I Received "The Call!"
AND
Accepted A Place 
In The Class Of
"The God Not Popular!"
Who Desires
Self-Denial
Obedience
Confession Of Sin
Repentance
Baptism By Immersion
AND
Standing Up For Jesus!
AND
I Am Happy!

I Walk With The King!
I Walk With The God Eternal!

Further To Turning Your Eyes Upon ... Jesus: KNOWING HIM!

For more years than I care to recall, I have Stated that I am no one's Favorite Child!

I have also long stated that I have no Expectation of an Inheritance from Anyone
And
That the Only Thing that my Grandmother gave to Me was My Faith in Jesus Christ!

I have also made it Abundantly Clear to anyone who will Listen that There is No Human who can Give Another Human...  FAITH!!

A.  I have never seen Jesus BUT I know Him... Intimately. How?

I had a client 30+ years ago,  whom I have never seen,  who became my dearest friend, and who became my son's God-parent.  How?

I gave birth to a child who did not "know" me but who,  as he grew,  no matter how late I got home,  which was very often 7-10 hours AFTER the regular close of business, or how tired he was,  or who else was around to take care of him,  would not rest or sleep,  until I reached home and he could hear, and smell me.  Why?

My son grew, went to preschool.  I started keeping more normal hours and whenever I reached home he was waiting,  all excited,  waiting for something!

I always had something to give him every single day without failure. How did he know? Why the Expectation?

And,  as he grew older, he never asked what did I get him. Why?

Where did The Faith come from?

I have been privileged to hear my son publicly say that I have never lied to him. Why?

I have been blessed to hear my son say that he can trust me to always tell him the Truth. Why?

What is there in the Communion of The Soul and The Savior, and Communication of Trust by Way of Faith through Trust that causes Faith?

What is The Tone Heard or Felt?

What is The Scent Fragranced?

Do we Love through our Noses?

Do we Trust through our Ears? (Faith Comes by Hearing!)

IS Faith on or in The Skin?

Why do Some have Faith and Others don't?

Who do Some Doubt and Others don't?

In My Personal Journey on The Road to Salvation,  I can say,  without fear of Contradiction, I have always felt Safe with Jesus.

I have walked,  often,  in my own Way BUT I have always felt Safer walking and talking with Jesus.

Somehow,  I always knew I had a Safe Haven in The Savior.

Everyday I knew I would receive something.  What? Don't know.  Can't tell.  But... Something!

Sometimes, especially in times of Waywardness and times of Deep Distress,  Lonesomeness and Quietness, and even Happiness I would Feel,  Sense,  even Become Aware of a Warm and Comforting Presence.

I would find myself Suddenly Smiling without External Input.

I would find myself stopping my current activity, and turning my head and Listening.

I have found My Self by Myself Answering ... Aloud ... The Unspoken Heard Question.

I have Chosen to Trust Who I can't See but Who I Know.

Jesus said: "ALL that The Father hath GIVEN to Me WILL COME TO ME...! "

Jesus IS The Rose of Sharon.

Who does not want to nose The Fragrance of The Graceful Rose,  and be Caressed by The Velvet of its Petals?

Who will not brace the Tear of The Rose's Thorns to be The Possessor of The Beauteous Bloom of The Heir... Loom?

Do we not Recognize Truth even when it Comes from an Unknown Source?

Why then, would we not Accept Truth and Love, and Love and Trust The Source of Our Creation who, Assuredly, left His Maker Mark in Every Soul?

Just like every cellphone has a Manufacturer Unlock Code, so do Humans.

There are those of us who, after three or six months of use, call The Phone Company. and request The Unlock Code BECAUSE we wish, at our own Say-so to Go to Another Wireless Service Provider IF The Current Provider does not Meet Our Needs.

Some of us just Want The Code because we can have it and can Jump Ship At Will.

Some of us Don't Care to Change, or Move, or Know how to Move. 

We are SATISFIED WITH JESUS.

Having Been Turned On by The Originator IS Enough.

We will Stay The Distance by Faith.

*******

Does not Jesus say: "My Sheep KNOW My VOICE!?"

My Almighty God Is Near!

TODAY:

I bow my heart

My God is near

I'm open to Him

My Soul is prepared

To let Him Have His Way with me

To do His bidding acceptably.

BUT THERE WAS THAT TIME ...

Rock of Ages!
Jesus is Mine!
I was a sinner!
Life wasn't divine!
I ran with The Reprobate!
Hate I did elevate!
But one day King Jesus told me: 
"Time's getting to be late!"

I didn't want to listen!
I wanted to play!
Jesus said: "Child, you're giving Eternal Life away!"
He had my attention!
I opened My Door!
I felt Just Elation!
Sin held me No More!

SING, GOD'S PEOPLE! 

REJOICE WITH ME:

I'm telling this story!

I'm singing a new song!

#SatanIsMyEnemy!

I now him cast down!

Jesus The Righteous

Opened The Gate

I walked through it gladly

And I won't suffer the sinner's just fate!