Not A, But My Shepherd
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He takes me to lush pastures; He leads me to refreshing water. 3 He restores my strength. He leads me down the right paths for the sake of His reputation. 4 Even when I must walk through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff reassure me. 5 You prepare a feast before me in plain sight of my enemies. You refresh my head with oil; my cup is completely full. 6 Surely Your goodness and faithfulness will pursue me all my days, and I will live in the Lord’s house for the rest of my life.
Today, we have a new opportunity to pursue God’s purposes. Hold this near your heart – You have value! You are a treasure in an earthen vessel to God!
As I read, prayed, and mused on the Word of God, the Psalms moved me. I began with Psalm 23 and saw the LORD in His true nature. In order to grasp His character, we have to study the Middle Eastern shepherd.
The overwhelming desire of God to provide is unfathomable to the minds of humans. We say it. We testify of it, but our thoughts, words, and deeds reveal our lack of reception.
In Him, there is no lack. That is not because we get everything we want, but because if He is our shepherd, we have perfect peace and trusting contentment. If we live life through the lens of the flesh, pride, greed, and ego will consume us. Our focus will be on our wants or perceived needs, not on His supply. Peace will evaporate, and we will struggle to reconcile what we know with what we have.
The school of life has rough spots. Our prayers (not founded on His purposes but are out of our desires and perceived needs) go unanswered. The answer came, but our focus on us blinded us from the better answer. The promise is that even in the deepest struggles and challenges of life, God is our shepherd. He is there, and where He is, there is peace. The table in the presence of enemies is not a heavenly reward; it is a life reward. It is empowering to overcome.
Then, Psalm 24:1 reminds us that everything, including us, our lives, and our plans, belongs to God! Psalm 27:11 is a prayer and a revelation. The Psalmist asked to be taught God’s ways and… And? To be lead in a level path.
Why a level path? Was it for ease? No! It was so that he could focus on God, on dealing with the conflict, rather than having to divide his focus to include the uneven struggles of the mountains, hills, and rocks. With a level path where there was surefootedness, he could focus on the fight, not the path.
God never fails the faithful. He answers our prayers. Remember Paul’s dilemma in 2 Corinthians 12? The messenger of Satan, the thorn in his flesh? He prayed 3 times for God to remove it. He was asking for victory over the problem. God answered his prayer, just not the way he desired or thought was needed. “My grace is sufficient, and My strength is perfected…” It is when we know that we can’t that we trust Him and learn the inexhaustibility of His provision.
Your prayers are being answered. Look at how and rejoice! You can see that reality IF He truly becomes your shepherd.
The Word Is Now!
2 Timothy 6:2 – “At the acceptable time, I listened to you, and on the Day of Salvation, I helped you.” BEHOLD, “Now” is “The Acceptable Time,” BEHOLD, “Now” is “The Day of Salvation.”
Today, as I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God, I heard a word that I heard days ago as I sought A Word From God!
I heard one word – “NOW!” It was emphatic but with no explanation. It had a sense of urgency but no details. It had a feeling of life or death but no clarity. What am I to think when God says in response to my prayer for A Word from Him, “NOW!”
Today, in 2 Corinthians 6:2, I read these words: “At the acceptable time, I listened to you, and on the Day of Salvation, I helped you,” BEHOLD, “Now” is “The Acceptable Time,” BEHOLD, “Now” is “The Day of Salvation.”
Today, I heard “No More Delay!” We are in the Last of the Last Days! It doesn’t matter if we believe it or not, IT IS! Plans and preparation are good, but there comes a time to step out in faith and dare to do what God said to do. Does it seem impossible, daunting, beyond our capability, and outside the scope of our wherewithal? Good! That’s exactly what God planned.
If we can, in our ability, then we will not learn to pray and trust as is needed. When it is Impossible to continue, we must learn to depend on God. What is our ultimate objective in life? I can’t give you the answer; that’s yours. If Anything hinders total surrender, it needs to be sacrificed on the altar to God.
If the Day of Salvation is NOW, and the transition from the temporal to the eternal could begin NOW for people, what is to be our focus? In every detail of our lives, we are His witnesses, good or bad. What I am sensing is NOW, no delay! What is in your heart? Who is on your heart? What is the cry of your soul?
NOW – No Delay! Whatever you are waiting for before you step into His call is a hindrance and needs to be repented of and sacrificed on the altar to God. We need Nothing outside of God. He will provide Everything! He is our source!
LORD, help us to become people of the NOW!
God Is Our Shield
Psalm 3:3-5 – “But You, Lord, are a shield that protects me; You are my glory and the one who restores me. 4 To the Lord I cried out, and He answered me from His holy hill. (Selah) 5 I rested and slept; I awoke, for the Lord protects me.”
This is the day the LORD has made, and we have every reason to rejoice. God’s promises are yes and amen! Begin your day with this in the forefront of your mind: God loves you!
As I read, prayed, and mused on the Word of God, something from Psalm 3 exploded in my spirit: God’s Covering. In verse 3, we read that God is our shield. What does a shield do? It protects!
We also discover that God lifts our heads. That suggests that He provides for and promotes us to the place He desires for the purpose He desires. Then, He answers our prayers positively and gives us peace. We go through life confident that we are kept, sustained, and provided for!
Fear is banished because of all that. How can we be afraid of anything when we know we are protected and provided for? Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15, gives us the foundation for that revelation and provides the key to life.
First things first, begin at the beginning. Jesus died for our sins, rose from the dead to complete the sacrifice of purchase. Because He arose from the dead, we have access to the provisions of Psalm 3 and every other promise made to us. Psalm 1 becomes our guarantee. Psalm 91, our hope; Psalm 23, our provision, and Isaiah 61, our goal.
We have the confidence, courage, and conviction that because He did what He did to redeem us, we are redeemed, transformed, empowered, and equipped to overcome. His covenant with us joins us to all He is and has! We lack nothing, and our only hindrance is limited thinking.
So, rise up and receive what He has promised and provided. You are, so be!
Life Can Be Confusing
Job 32:17 – “I too will answer my part, I too will explain what I know.”
Life can be confusing, difficult, and mysterious, filled with uncertainties and questions. However, there are some constants! God is love! God loves us!
As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God, my heart was stirred. Reading in Job 32, we encounter the 4th of Job’s comforters. A man God did not even reference at the end. The chief characteristics of this comforter or confronter were arrogance and self-righteousness. He was a Pharisee before there were Pharisees.
He began by doing what most have done. He got angry over views inconsistent with a theology he ascribed to. He said in verse 10, “Listen to me, I too will tell you what I THINK.” He reaffirmed that in verse 17, “I also will tell my OPINION.”
Just because we think something does not mean it is 100% correct. It does not mean that we are allowed to exclude all other views. That is a view of our world today, and it is just as prevalent in the church as in the world. In verse 20, his true focus is revealed: “Let me speak that I may get relief…” That’s the true objective – HIM!
The apostle Paul addressed that in 1 Corinthians 8:1 – “Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies.” In 1 Corinthians 10:12, we have a powerful revelation and truth. “Therefore, let him who THINKS he stands take heed lest he fall.” If we forget by whom we stand, we become self-righteous and doomed to failure, arrogance, and pride.
That verse is the context of verse 13 that we use to give us hope in trials. Then we should learn from the past that others endured, and in every case, it was not human ability, wisdom, or willpower but God’s grace that brought them through. Therefore, verse 13 is our iron-clad promise from God! We can make it IF… if we depend on God and humbly surrender.
1 Corinthians 10:17 brings it all into focus – we are part of The Body of Christ. Our stewardship is caring for each other. Our life goal is verse 31 – Everything we do is to be for the glory of God. We don’t know it all, and what we know must be applied through LOVE or with and in LOVE!
All of us struggle. All of us need others. All of us fail. ALL OF US! Therefore, we need grace and need to know that we don’t know it all. Your knowledge helps me grow in my knowledge and strengthens me for the journey. We are THE BODY OF CHRIST!
LORD, help us to navigate the confusing waters of life, being led by Your Holy Spirit!
One Day At A Time!
Job 14:1-2 – “Man, born of woman, lives but a few days, and they are full of trouble. 2 He grows up like a flower and then withers away; he flees like a shadow, and does not remain.”
As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God, I was reminded of some valuable truths. The plight of Job was beyond what most could handle. Few would not have succumbed to the temptation to dive deep into self-pity and wallow in the mire of victimization. Although Job walked near that border, the core of his God-view and life-view was that God is faithful, loving, and just. That is revealed in Job 13:15 and anchored in Job 13:18.
In Job 14:1, we are reminded that our earthly existence is extremely temporary, and the obstacles are many. In Job 14:5, we are reminded that God has predetermined our longevity or lack thereof. Therefore, our approach to life should be to LIVE each day fully. Looking to eternity while enjoying the present. Then, at the end of life (ours or others), we can rejoice in a life well lived.
The words of Job in 19:23-27 are powerful anchors. Job longed for others to receive the revelation he had of God (vv 23-24). That revelation is detailed in (vv 25-27). God is the Living God. We will rise again and be with Him eternally. In Job 21, the age-old questions surface (v 7). Why do the wicked seem to go unscathed in life? Then, in (v 15). Why serve God? Who is God?
Life is hard at times and full of unexplained and unexpected difficulties. We can either focus on the problem of the problem solver. That decision will determine our destiny, define our existence, and control our attitude, aptitude, and altitude. The bottom line is Trust and Surrender.
It is not about us! Our focus is reflected in our thoughts, words, and actions! Actions always speak louder and more honestly than words. I know my Redeemer Liveth, and I shall See Him in the Last Days! Therefore, I choose to live content that He is trustworthy! I refuse to live with the view that my loss was unfair, but rejoice over the time I had to enjoy before the loss. My focus is Jesus and eternity, not self and now! I choose to be Free!
LORD, help us to trust You so completely that we are content to live one day at a time, confident that You are with us daily!
Roy's Covenant Corner 