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.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, something the Holy Spirit has quickened to my heart from Psalm 23 resonates powerfully with me.

David knew that a Relationship with God (The I AM that I AM) was the Final Truth!  It was not what was happening to him or around him, but GOD that was the Final Truth, and that was his Foundation!   In that moment, He could say – “These Circumstances are Bad, Really Bad.   BUT The LORD (The I AM) is My Shepherd; because of that, I SHALL NOT WANT! I am supplied within and without!”

Our Mistake is that too often we say – “The LORD is my Shepherd, BUT things are really Bad… Do you realize how BAD they are?”   It makes all the difference in the world which mindset we follow.

Hear me carefully – David did not deny reality!  He put his trust in his Shepherd.   If we truly BEHOLD the LORD, the I AM, then the most obvious statement is “I Shall Not Be In Want or Lack Anything!”

Can you see it?   It is learning to ‘Look Through’  rather than ‘Looking At’  the Problems.  David learned to Look Through His circumstances to God’s Reality. If we Look At our circumstances, we will crumble.  They will overcome us.

Please remember, we never deny our problems!   Instead, we Look Through them to the Greater Reality in the Promises and Provisions of God!

What are we looking at?  What are we dwelling on?  The problem or the problem solver? Jesus did not say in Matthew 6:33 – “Seek a solution to your problem first, and it will all be okay.”  No, He said, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

The bottom line is our confidence in God’s integrity.  When we take what He promised and question the validity or possibility in our lives, we are questioning His Integrity.  We may say we are not, but our actions speak louder than our words! Our thinking will determine our doing, and our doing will reveal our confidence in God’s integrity!  He either is or is not our “Shepherd,” and if He is, then, “I shall now WANT (lack).”

Got any rivers you think are uncrossable?  Got any mountains you can’t tunnel through?  God specializes in things thought Impossible!  He will do for you what no other power can do!

Life is a choice, and life in Jesus is a choice! A life of victory and miracles is a choice that is developed in a state of consciousness of His presence and a total trust in His integrity!

This is your day to change from being a statistical pessimist to more than a conqueror! We are not what we think we are, but we are what we think (we become what we dwell on). What are you?

LORD, My Shepherd, I trust You!