I'm full right there. I should go on. I don't know about you, but that is... I guess Newton wrote that in the 1700s. That's just as fresh to me today. So thankful thy mercies are new every morning. That's good, because I need mercy. I don't know about you, but I need mercy.

Pray God be merciful to us this morning as I desire to preach the gospel to you through this psalm. I beg your prayers. God, give me the liberty I need for you. I told you last time I'm just a vessel. The vessel deserves no praise, no glory. But you do need the vessel to be filled. And you do need it to be poured out. And both of those things are an act of God, not an act of man.

I'm not going to make this message effectual to you. I just cannot do it. I'm going to give you a little hint. You can't make it effectual to you either. You can't make this powerful to you. You can't make this message mean anything to you. This is a work of God. Some of you, God will bless. And maybe some of you, God just passed by. The message is going to bounce right off your heart. You're not going to care. Don't worry. That's God passing you by, not you passing God by. That's sad, isn't it?

We pray that God will not pass anyone here by, that he will speak to everyone. Pray for it. Ask God for it. Otherwise, you're just wasting your time here.

Pray for those churches without pastors, I've been encouraged this week to hear some young men that seem to be preaching the gospel, and that sounds good. I hope the Lord will send me. Pray for those churches, God-given pastors. Pray for the sick, those who are troubled. Let's go to him in prayer.

Our gracious Father in heaven, we bow ourselves before you, making our petitions known unto thee. We know that you know our needs. You know our hearts and our thoughts, even before we think them or feel them. You know them altogether. Father, this morning, I pray that you would, not for our sakes, not because of us, but because of Christ, because of Thy glory, that You would send Your Word, Your Spirit this morning into the hearts of everyone here, everyone that hears. Lord, that You would make this message meaningful to their hearts, that You would comfort Your people, that You would strengthen them. We are weak. feeble and dependent upon you. We lay ourselves before you asking for strength even because you promised to give it. You promised to be our help in trouble. You promised that Christ is all our salvation and we depend upon it. We lay our souls on And as we look at what you've provided for us this morning, I pray that you would cause it to comfort and ease the hearts of your people in the teeth of their troubles. Heal the sick. Restore them again to us. We miss those that are not with us. We pray for those churches without pastors. We pray that you'd fill those places with men, faithful men, declare the gospel of Christ. Father, forgive us our sins. Cleanse us of our unrighteousness. And this only through the blood and righteousness of Christ our Savior. For all these things we pray in his name and for his glory. Amen.

All right, take your Bibles, turn back with me to Psalm 23. Psalm 23, I've entitled this message, The Provisions of My Shepherd. The Provisions of My Shepherd. The psalmist begins with a very wonderful statement, a glorious statement. The Lord is my shepherd." Now because of this statement, he makes another bold statement. He says, I shall not want. One thing that is common of every ruined son of Adam is this, we all want. We all want something. This sinful race has one distinct characteristic that runs through every one of them. We are all by nature in want. In want. And every sinner by nature is never satisfied with what he receives. Never. Solomon said, he that hath silver is never satisfied with silver. That's just a true statement. We're in this holiday season. Isn't this a proof? You got kids, you know that's true. I don't even know why I'm talking about them. I'm talking about myself. I won't. We all want, we all want, and when we get, we never have enough.

Man by nature prays to God. All men pray for something, for one reason, that they may consume it on their lust. I want this because it makes me happy. And if we're really honest, we say to hell with the rest of the world. As long as it makes me happy, I don't care about you. This is our nature, this is who we are. Natural man wants and wants, and the more he gets, the more he wants. And the more he wants, the less satisfied he is with the things he gets. This is because of one reason. Man is born dead in trespasses and sins, and he only is concerned with himself. That's it.

When our children are born into this world, we see it immediately. They begin to cry for what? For want. They begin to demand of us things they want. And when you supply what they need, they will always want more. Why? Because that's our nature. We just passed it on. We're surprised when it happens. And I'm wondering why we're surprised. We were just like it. We were the same. And our parents were the same because this is all the race of Adam. We all want to satisfy our flesh. And when we get what we want, we are never satisfied. We always want more. There's nothing but our depraved heart of unbelief that cries against the gracious provisions of God.

Now think about all that you have. Where'd that come from? Everything you have. Where'd that come from? And yet how long if we are thankful, how long we thankful for? Well, thank you. We move on to the next thing next one. Never are satisfied. This is the nature of man. And listen, even after we're saved, you that are saved. Is this not true still? of our old man, the corrupt nature? I can't understand anybody that's a believer that does not even confess the dual nature that resides in this one body. This one consciousness, this one being has two distinct natures, and one of them is absolutely, totally corrupt, and he is constantly trying to pull me away from Christ. Maybe am I the only one? I don't think so. Me and Paul, I guess. But I confess. This is me.

And so as we look at this text, I want you to see this is a reflection not of the old man, but of the new. Every one of you that are born again, Jesus Christ is your shepherd. And because of this, what is the conclusion of the new man? I shall not want. I shall not lack anything. Why? Because he's my shepherd. He's my shepherd. So this text is a reflection of the believer's heart. We who believe on Christ as our shepherd shall not want. I will not lack anything needful because. Now this is why I won't lack. This is why I won't have any need. Because Jesus is my shepherd.

Now, I don't know. The closest one here knows anything about animals, I guess, is Kevin. They got some animals so they know more than I do. I don't know anything at all about shepherding except what I read. I don't know anything at all about it. What I understand about shepherd and sheep is that the sheep are absolutely, completely, 100% dependent upon the shepherd. They're dependent upon his love and his provision. And so then the sheep are constantly looking to him for everything. For everything.

Even so it is with us. You are believers in Christ. You are his sheep. That's what the text is telling me. David is saying, I'm I'm a sheep. And the Lord is my shepherd. I'm dependent upon him.

Believer in Christ is just not the greatest source then of our contentment. That Jesus is my shepherd. That he is the provider of all that I need. All of it. And because he is the provider, this is the conclusion, I will lack nothing. I will lack nothing. Because Jesus is the faithful shepherd. He is the great shepherd. He is the good shepherd. He is the chief shepherd. And we should be content because God has anointed him to be my shepherd. God has appointed him. And listen to this, he loves his sheep.

Remember, I couldn't help but think of this. When David heard that proverb, when he heard that, remember he had sinned and He just completely tried to forget about it, lived his life, went on with everything. And that prophet came and said, I got a story for you, David, about a man who came and took away this sheep from this man. This man loved this sheep. He cared for it. He slept with it. I think about my little dog. I care about that little dog more than you know. And David said, some stranger came in, and that guy, somebody took that sheep and killed it. David was furious. He knew what it was like to love. his sheep."

So when David writes this, he's speaking out of experience. He loves. And so much more does my shepherd love us. He cares for his sheep and provides for us.

Look over in Ezekiel 34. Ezekiel 34, look at verse 20. Therefore thus saith the Lord God unto them, behold, I, even I will judge between fat cattle and between lean cattle, because you have thrust with the side and with the shoulder and push all the diseased with your horns till you have scattered them abroad. Therefore will I save my flock and they shall no more be a prey. I will judge between cattle and cattle. I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David. He shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd."

God says, I'm going to judge between the self-righteous and the sinner. You know what the self-righteous do to sinners? They push them aside. Like a strong cow pushing a weak cow, a diseased cow over. God said, I'm gonna make judgment between them. And you know what? You know whose God's flock is? It's not the strong cattle. It's the weak. It's the diseased. And God says, I'm going to save them from you. I'm going to separate them. And he says, I've got one person who's gonna do it. my shepherd, the shepherd. I'm going to send a shepherd to my flock and he's going to separate his people. He's going to divide his sheep from the goats.

Behold, Jesus Christ was before eternity purposed then to be my shepherd and God purposed him to supply my needs. Therefore, I shall not want. I shall not lack anything. Why? Because the decree of God has made him to be all my provision.

Now, we know this, that God knows our needs, physical needs. God knows our needs. He will provide for our needs. Therefore, the one thing that assures us of this, that should fill our hearts and minds and souls, is this, that God has given Jesus Christ to be all our salvation. Now we focus the mind, the natural man focuses only on the physical. And yet even God provides for that, doesn't He? You're still sitting here, obviously God has provided all this time He's given you the food, the means, the life to bring you here. But you that are His sheep, listen, you have much more than these physical things. God has made Christ to be all your salvation. But of God are you in Christ Jesus. Now you grab a hold of that. Christ is your shepherd because God put you in him. And then God, without your permission, without your help, without your assistance, made him to be all your wisdom, all your righteousness, all your sanctification, and all your redemption.

Now that I ask you, the believer, what more do you need? If you have that, what more do you need? If God stops supplying your food and your water and you starve to death, so what? If you have that, that's of little consequence. What more could a sinner or rebel against God want than peace with God? Is there anything greater than to have peace with God made by the blood of Jesus Christ? In Psalm 27, David said, One have I desired, and that will I seek after. May God in his grace teach us who are his sheep to be content with this. The Lord is my shepherd. The Lord is my shepherd. May we come near this morning and sit at the feet of the shepherd and then now look at his provision.

Now, I've told you that you don't want, but now the Lord don't stop there. He shows you His provisions. He makes known to you His provisions. And the first provision is what? What is the first thing a sheep needs? He needs food and water. He needs food and water. He said, He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. I know this, that God has supplied all of our needs, and consider that. You know, our Lord told us that. The Lord knows what you have to eat up before you ask. He said, consider the lilies of the field. They don't work or toil or spin. Look how beautiful they are. God who clothes the grass today and burns it up tomorrow, shall he not clothe you, O you of little faith? If God feeds the wicked that hate him and despise him, who are meant for the fires of hell, shall he not feed you? But what was his statement? Seek first, above these things, seek first the kingdom of God. Seek me. The kingdom of God and His righteousness. All these things be added to you.

But the food and water here are not physical, are they? This is spiritual. Something more meaningful because those things which are spiritual exist far beyond this life. Everything physical only happens here and it's gone. But these spiritual things are forever. They're more valuable because they're durable. They're lasting. And so the spiritual food. Notice this. We are called to lie down. We are made to lie down. in faith and eat, he maketh me to lie down to rest in green pastures. Have you ever eaten so much you need to lie down? You ever get so full you just gotta lie down? That's what the idea here is. That the sheep are so full that they're just made to fall over and rest. This is what Christ promises to supply all of His people. Enough food so that they should find rest. This reveals His infinite supply of grace. These are green pastures. There's no winter here. This book is green all year round. It's fit for food every single day. I'll tell you this, sometimes we're rebellious. We set this aside. Stick our head on the other side of the fence trying to grab some old weed. Something else. This book is green all year round. It's profitable for you every day. It's a provision. It's made for you. This is a book written for you. God does it for His glory, but why else is His book here? Why is this written? Is it not written for our learning, for our understanding, for our growth, for our feeding?

Back over there in Ezekiel 34, verse 14, this is a promise. He says, I will feed them in a good pasture upon a high mountain of Israel. shall their fold be. There shall they lie in a good fold. In a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. You see, mountains are a place of height and safety. Our Lord says you're gonna be feeding on a high place above all the foes and enemies. Is not Christ a high tower? a solid rock upon which we build our soul, upon which we are built of God. He's our rock. He's our foundation. And upon him is plenteous food.

Is this not what Christ said? I am the bread of life. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood shall never hunger or thirst. For what? For righteousness, for peace, for satisfaction with God. Acceptance. We feed on this. How? How does one feed? We feed by faith, by trusting, believing Him. This is how the soul is fed. The soul is not fed by sight. That's flesh. How many of us want to see something? I do. I've often asked for it. Lord, let me see something. But you know what? When I see it, it's gone. The comfort is there for a minute, and then when it's gone, it's gone. Remember what Peter said? He said, we have a more sure word of prophecy. Now, Peter heard a voice from heaven. He saw Elijah, and he saw Moses, and the Lord Jesus Christ transfigured before him. And then he heard the voice of God, and then he said this, but we have a more sure word of prophecy. Something more sure than a voice from heaven or seeing the saints that have already been dead for years. If you saw that, you know how long that would last. A minute gone, but you feed on this all day by faith every day. You can believe this. Jesus Christ is the bread of life, and I noticed this. He also takes into account our weakness. He said this. Not only we feed our souls, he promises this, he leadeth me beside the still waters.

I read this, that sheep don't drink from running water, running streams, for fear. They don't drink from running water. Be still. Be still. In this, the Lord, our shepherd, takes into account our fear. You know, religion is like a running water. Always changing. The goalpost is always moving. It says once you, well, you do this and then you're gonna find peace and satisfaction and you get there and where's the goalpost? Oh, well, you gotta do more. What does that do but instill faith? Our Lord don't lead me to religion. He don't lead me to the law. He don't lead me to works. You know where he leads me? He leads me to grace. the still water of grace. To the saints of God, the Holy Spirit by the gospel leads us to a peaceful, calm waters.

Are there any fearful or hungry? Now listen, this is important. Only the sheep. have this identity that we need Christ. We know we need Him. I know every believer in Christ is thirsty. Behold, the shepherd has calmed the troubled sea of God's wrath, and the demands of the law are completely satisfied, so now you may drink in peace. In peace. Hold everyone that thirsteth. Come ye to the waters. Come buy wine and milk without money, without price. Wherefore do you spend your money for the rich? Satisfy it not? Hearken unto me. Hearken unto me. And eat. delight thy soul in fatness. Our Lord provides spiritual food and water for His people, constant, daily refreshing. Water is good for what? It's good for thirst. Is His righteousness not good for your thirst for righteousness? It is, it satisfies it. Do you not need cleansing? The refreshing cleansing of His blood constantly I like the way John said, He cleanseth us from all our sins. A constant cleansing.

The second thing is this. He makes provisions for restoration. Look at this. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Now, every one of us who are believers in Christ, we know this. We have been restored by the new birth. We have been restored by the new birth. We sing this hymn often. I was a wandering sheep. I did not love the foal. I did not love my shepherd's voice. I would not be controlled. Anybody identify with that? But the shepherd sought his sheep. The father sought his child. They followed me o'er vale and hill, o'er desert, waste, and wild. They found me nigh unto death, famished, and faint, and lone. They bound me with the bands of love. They saved the wandering one." This is the experience of everyone who's been restored. He restoreth my soul. He restored us when he brought us in.

Jesus in Luke chapter 15 gives us that parable of the shepherd. He said, which one of you having a hundred sheep, if one of them were to be lost, would not leave the ninety and nine and go into the wilderness and find that one that was lost? And when he found him, what did he do? He put him on his own shoulders and carried him home. Is that not how he restored you? And that's how he restored me.

family. Not a death. No hope, no help. And he restored me. He brought me back. Now, why would he do that? Listen to this. Because I'm his sheep. I'm his sheep. I want you to see this. I'm his sheep because God gave me to him. We are His sheep by gift. By gift.

Go to John chapter 10. We are His sheep. John chapter 10. This is a parable that coincides with this one that we're looking at. Look at verse 14. Jesus confesses, I I am the good shepherd. Is there any question as to who the Lord is my shepherd, who Dave was talking about? Jesus said Dave was talking about me. I am the good shepherd. Listen, I know my sheep and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them I also must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd."

Now look at verse 27. He said, my sheep, my sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

You see why you're his sheep? You're his sheep because the Father gave you to Christ. That's why. You're his sheep by gift. Second of all, you're his sheep by purchase. He said, I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. He giveth his life for the sheep. You that are believers, you understand this. It was your sin that separated you from God. Your sin. Our sin has separated us from God. And the only means, there was only one means by which God's sheep could be restored, and that's by blood. The Apostle Paul says this in Romans 12, without the shedding of blood, is no remission. We're just saying nothing but the blood. You understand the narrowness of this? You understand that there's the singularness of this? Why do we preach Christ and Him crucified all the time? Because this is the only means by which we can be restored to God. We can be reconciled to God. It's only through the offering of Jesus Christ's blood at Calvary. It is the only means by which the sinner can be accepted with God. There is no other means. It's not a combination. It's simply the blood. It's not the blood and my cooperation. It's not the blood and my good works. It's not the blood and my good deeds. It's simply the blood.

To wit, God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself. Where were you? When God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, where were we? Did you have a say? No, he didn't. God gave us to Christ and Christ purchased us with his own blood. He redeemed us. He bought us. He justified us. He sanctified us. He saved us. That's what my shepherd did. He saved me. You see, he didn't make my salvation possible. You can't make anything possible for sheep, right? If you just say, okay, sheep, there's the provisions, go at it. You know what they'll do? They'll die. They're stupid. God didn't leave this to chance. No. Gave me to Christ. I'm His. And in love, in love, He willingly laid down His life. for the sheep. No one else. No one else. Not sheep and goats. My sheep. My sheep. I know my sheep.

Look at Psalm 69. Two pages over. Psalm 69. This is what the prophecy of Christ concerning his sheep was. Look at this. This is the words of our Lord Jesus Christ in his heart as he hung upon the cross. He said, save me, O God, for the waters are come in to my soul. That's the wrath of God. The judgment of God has come into my soul. Here's the cause. I sink in deep mire where there is no standing. I am come into deep waters where their floods overflow me. He said, because of my sin. What's the mire? The mire is my sin. He bore my sin and the waters of God's justice. He said, I am weary of my crying. My throat is dry. My eyes fail while I wait for my God. They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head. But they would destroy me, being mine enemies, wrongfully or mighty. Look at me. Here it is. Then I restore. that which I took not away. He restored. What? He restored my soul. He didn't take my soul away, I did. My sin took it away. But what he did, he said, I restored it. All that Adam lost, Christ restored, and much more.

I'm so thankful that we're not gonna live like Adam and Eve lived before the fall. I'm thankful because we have much more than they'll ever have. When this thing is all done, we're gonna have much more than just a garden of Eden. We'll be able to adore the presence of Christ forever. You know that's heaven? Heaven is to behold Christ without sin. It is to behold Christ and to rejoice in Him forever, having no sin in me. I shall see Him as He is.

And thirdly, we are His restored by call. He said, Other sheep I have which are not of this fold, back over in John 10. He said, Other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them I also must bring. Now, I mean, look at this. Get back over here, John 10. Look at verse 26. I like this. They start murmuring about this. Jesus tell him he's a good shepherd. He's laying down his life for the sheep. They begin to murmur about this. Jesus, what are you murmuring for? Listen to this. You believe not because you are not a machine. As I said, you got that? Those that believe not, they believe not because they're not a machine. Not religion has it backwards. They say, well, you're not his sheep because you don't believe. That's not what the text says. The text says you don't believe because you're not my sheep. You're not my sheep. What is this telling me? Only the sheep are called.

I know God has an elect people and I know Christ died for them. I just don't know who they are until when? Until he calls them. And he said, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them. I like that. He said, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them. Not they know me. How much do you know about Christ? Very little. Very little. But that's not important. What's important is this. He knows me. I may forget him. I may bump my head and forget who I am. I may lose my mind and never be able to have a cognitive thought in my head forever. What's my hope? My hope is this. He knows me.

My sheep hear my voice and I know them and I give unto them eternal life. And what's the result? They shall never perish. Why? I restored them. The Father gave them me, which is greater than all. I restored them. And then what I do? I made sure they came to me. This is a glorious thing. The church is never empty. It's always full. Now you keep that because that's true. I don't care if it's three people. I don't care if it's one person left in the world. Church is always full. The elect will always be called at their appointed time, and they will all come. He said this, all that the Father giveth me, what, shall come to me. And when it cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.

Our Lord Jesus Christ came to call. He said the hour is coming, and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. Do you believe? Have you been restored? Have you been called? Our Lord says this, I give you eternal life. It's yours. On what grounds? Grace. That's the only grounds it can be. It can't be anything else. So what's the hope of me keeping this eternal life? Same means, grace. Grace. It was the Father who chose us in Christ. It was Christ who restored us by his blood. And it is by grace that the Spirit of God calls us to life and faith. And notice this, he leads us in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

This is not, it's not what religion tells you. Religion will say this first, it'll say, well, he, it's at this point, he'll lead you back to the law. For what? They say for righteousness. No, no. Christ does not lead his sheep back to the law. His path of righteousness is very simple. It's his righteousness. He leads me in the path of his righteousness. What's the path we follow? What's the path he leads us in? Faith in his righteousness, not mine. Where'd your righteousness come from? You that believe. Where'd it come from? The scripture says it's by the faith of Jesus Christ. Even Romans 3, 22. But the righteousness of God is by the faith of Jesus Christ. And then this righteousness is distributed unto all and upon all them that believe. So what do you have to do with it? Nothing. Nothing. He leads me in the paths of righteousness. And how do we follow this path of righteousness? Simply by faith. By faith.

Look back in the text real quickly. I'm gonna move faster now. Verse four, yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. How often do we as sheep wander? How often do we fall or get stuck? I remember that video, I keep seeing it in my head, the sheep, he's in a ditch, he's stuck, big old fat sheep just stuck in a ditch and the shepherd's getting there and he's pulling him out, he gets him out, he runs three feet and jumps right back in the ditch.

Philpott said, self-inflicted wounds are the worst. And I tell you, I have more self-inflicted wounds than wounds from anybody else. But here's my comfort, that even death has no more power over God's sheep.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the what? Shadow. What can a shadow do? It appears scary, but what can a shadow do? It can do nothing. Death is a shadow of its former self. Why? Because blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection over which the second death hath no beginning.

What is death to the sheep? What is death to the believer? Is it nothing more than a transport? Paul said to be absent from the body is to be where? Present with the Lord. And Paul said, even the worst of things that could happen is death.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. Why? Because thou are with me. See the provision? The comfort of the sheep in every distress is the presence of Christ.

You know, when you're the most discomforted is when you don't feel his presence, which is most of your life. You don't feel it. You want it, you desire it, but you don't feel it. What does that do with it? What does your feelings have to do with the presence of Christ? He said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

I'm so thankful that both of those things. I mean, if he was just here, he could be mad at me. I will never leave thee. Oh, no. Wait, and I'll never forsake. Why? Because the Lord Jesus is my shepherd. He is my mediator. He is my surety. He has restored my soul. He leads me in paths of his righteousness, so then I will fear no evil. Thou art with me.

Notice this, thy rod and thy staff. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. The rod has to do with chastisement. You know, I always read this, this reading. When a sheep is constantly going astray, it is a good custom for the shepherd to use the rod to break his leg. It's not an act of cruelty. It's an act of love. Because if he continues to let that sheep go off, he'll get caught. He'll die. So what does he do? He breaks his leg, he binds it, and then what does he do? He puts the sheep on his own shoulders. He bears that sheep until it's well enough to walk on its own.

Forget not the exhortation that speaketh unto us as unto children. For whomsoever the Lord loveth, he what? Chastened. If you're chasing, I want you to see this as an encouragement, a provision of your shepherd. And the staff is the crooked end where he draws us near, pulls us to himself. How often does he pull us to himself? Here we are standing on the edge of some danger, some precipice, some foolish thing we've done, and all of a sudden, whoo, he draws us back to himself.

Isn't the love of Christ that constrains us from sin? It's not the law, it's love. And everything he does is for out of love. Notice this, he prepares a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. I always thought this one beautiful picture. It's like he said, okay, and the Lord's leading his sheep, and he leads them right into a pack of wolves. There's some green grass there, and he leads them right there in the middle of that pack of wolves, and it's as though he dares them to touch him. How often are we surrounded by enemies? I hope to preach this soon.

The worst enemy I know is self. This is the worst enemy I've got. If it wasn't for this enemy, the other two really wouldn't have any effect at all. The world and Satan wouldn't have any effect if it wasn't for this enemy. in the very midst of me. Always with me. And yet the Lord constantly protects me even from me. That my sin does not contaminate me. Isn't that astounding? That my sin cannot ruin this. Because the Lord sets us down and protects us in the midst of our enemies.

Thou anointest my head with oil, Oh, for the sheep has a benefit. It keeps the flies from his eyes and his nose, the things that trouble us. The Lord anoints us with his spirit, and it keeps those things from bothering us. Oil is meant to soothe the heads of those that butt the heads. They rub that oil on there and soothe them. How often do you butt your head against the wall? wants something that ain't good for you, God refusing to give it to you. He takes the oil of the spirit and the care. He anoints your head with it in love and grace.

I would have left me a long time ago. I wouldn't expect any one of you to take care of me like this. I don't deserve it. It's not a matter of our merit he does this. He does it for his own namesake. He does it for his own glory. He anoints it with the oil of his spirit. My cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. Because the Lord is my shepherd, I should and will not ever want for righteousness. I don't have that in me, do I? I never lack it. I shall never want for satisfaction of my sin, redemption of my sin. His blood is fish. I shall never want for his presence, his love, his grace, his favor, I shall never lack it, regardless of how I feel or what the circumstances bring. It doesn't matter. The Lord is my shepherd. Therefore, I shall never want for any of these provisions, food, spiritual food, spiritual cleansing, water, mercy, grace. They will follow me all the days of my life. And this is my end. This will be my end. I will dwell. forever. Why? My Shepherd made it so. My Shepherd made it so. And He is leading me there. He is leading us there.

The Lord is my Shepherd. When? Always. He's always been my Shepherd. There was a time I didn't know it. But He was my Shepherd then. He bought me. He called me. And I'll tell you this. My Shepherd keeps me. keeps me from all my enemies, and regardless of my stupidity, He has made all the provisions.

May God, the Holy Spirit, give us grace to partake of these provisions daily, constantly. You'll never run out. You'll never run out. It's an endless supply. I pray God comforts you with this. Let's stand and be dismissed in prayer.

Kevin, dismiss us in prayer, please.

Father, most grateful we are to know that you have been holding us, receiving us, and encouraging us. What a step that we have taken. And to know that you are watching us. We understand importantly what a magnificent thing it is to be in the presence of our religion. Without sin, we may not be in this world. Take his name, and you'll be in this world. Lord, forgive us for our sins, and give us rest. And we ask this of you. All these things you've done for the namesake of Christ, Yeah.