Blessings

In light of our Psalm 23 study, this is a lovely protrayal of the Lord's blessings in our lives.

Psalm 23:6

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:6

In verse 6 goodness refers to God demonstrating his abundant care and fulfilling his promises to me; essentially his blessings. 

Love (some versions of the Bible say mercy or loving-kindness) is God's covenantal commitment to bless his people with his promises.  His desire to bless me even though I only deserve his anger.

Follow means to pursue.  This word follow is an active word - not the passive and easily distracted kind of following like when you ask your child to follow you to his bedroom at bedtime.

The Message interprets the verse "Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I'm back home in the house of God for the rest of my life." (emphasis mine)

Because we are his children, we will one day live with him forever in heaven.  And in the meantime, by abiding in his salvation, our Shepherd gives us a taste of the everlasting fellowship with him that we will one day experience if we are his children.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. John 10:27-28

Let's wrap up our study of Psalm 23 by reading the Psalm in it's entirety.  As you read, think about the meaning of David's words that we've studied over the past couple of months.

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

he restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness

for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk

through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD

forever.

Psalm 23:5

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Psalm 23:5

Sheep have enemies including wild animals and other pests.  One such pest is the nose fly that lays eggs in the mucus membrane of the sheep's nose.  When the larvae hatches, it crawls into the sheep's flesh causing such great irritation that the sheep will thrash and beat its head until it literally kills itself!  DISGUSTING!!!

Another enemy of the sheep is the snake.  The pastures of the Middle East are filled with little snake holes and since sheep aren't bright enough to look where they are grazing, they may just munch right by a snake's hole.  The snake will slither up and bite the sheep's nose.

Like us, the sheep live amongst their enemies.  There are no pastures without snake holes, the nose fly will always hover around sheep, and there will always be wolves and mountain lions looking for a delicous meal of lamb chops.  1st John states that Christians are no exception to this rule.  We live in a world surrounded by our enemies.  Satan is the chief enemy - the root of all the enemies we face. 1 Peter 5:8-9 says, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings."

What do you struggle with? Who are your enemies?  anger? bitterness? depression?  lack of motivation? selfishness? pride? greed?

Jesus says in his prayer to his Father his disciples, "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one" (John 17:15).

The Shepherd will protect you and will provide all that we've stated previously as we've studied this 23rd Psalm.

This oil in verse 5 has two meanings:

1.  The shepherd makes special oil that he rubs on the sheep's noses that prevents the nose fly from bothering them. It also prevents snakes from being able to latch onto the sheep when they try to bite them. Notice that the nose fly and snakes aren't eliminated. Sin will always be present in our world. Christians are not exempt from suffering. The shepherd also goes ahead of the sheep through the pasture, pouring oil down and around the snakes' holes so the snakes have a harder time getting out in the first place.

2. The other meaning is that God is the host of an extravagant banquet. In Bible times, the host would anoint the honored guest with oil made by adding perfumes to olive oil.

Picture a big banquet at which a table is laden with food.  God is the host and you are the honored guest... yes, even YOU with all your nose fly lavae implanted in your flesh and the snake bites on your nose. You've been thrashing your head for months, even years.

At the end of the verse, David says, "my cup overflows."

This overflowing cup represents the care and provision of God. The green pastures and quiet waters described in verse 2 of the Psalm. 

Let's go back to the image of the banquet.  The host has spared no extravagance. You are the honored guest at the head table. And for one evening you forget the financial strain on your family at home; you forget that you were stuck at home once again this week with a sick child so you got nothing done. You forget that your marriage is falling apart or that your Mom was recently diagnosed with cancer. You forget that your parents are getting divorced or that your best friend is having an affair.  And you live in the moment for this beautiful evening.

That is the picture David is trying to portray.  David is speaking of the Shepherd's tremendous grace for each of his sheep.  And that is how we can live our lives: in the presence and care of the banquet host, Jesus Christ.

In God's presence David knew that his life was good (remember what we learned about God being sovereign and working all things together for the good of those who love him) and worth living. He knew what Paul also  would find out centuries later: that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us (Romans 8:18).

My challenge to you is that you will ask the Lord to change your perspective so that you will agree with David and Paul.  This attitude does not invalidate our trials and pain but a Biblical eternal perspective changes how you live your life.

We accept man’s testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

 

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.  1 John 5:9-15

Comfort

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

The shepherd used the rod to club wild animals and the staff to keep the sheep under control.

The rod and staff represent God's presence and involvement in our lives as individuals.

If a lamb wandered away a few times, the shephered would break one its legs.  Then he would bandage up the leg and tuck the lamb into his cloack.  He carried it around with him until the leg healed.  All the while he talked to, played with, stroked and cuddled the lamb. By the time the leg healed, that sheep was so used to being close by the shepherd that he no longer wandered away.

God disciplines us. Why?  To make us holy. Remember verse 3? He guides me in paths of righteousness?

Proverbs 3:11-12 "My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, a father the son he delights in."

Hebrews 12:9-11 "Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."

It brings me security to know God loves me enough to discipline me.  Think about your children. They may push and push and push the boundaries but it brings them great security to know that their parents loves them enough to set up those boundaries and enforce them.

(Note: To read previous Psalm 23 posts, click on the Psalm 23 label to the right under my family photos.)

For God is with me ... Psalm 23:4

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.  Psalm 23:4

Sometimes the shepherd leads his sheep through dangerous territory to get to those green pastures and quiet waters.  But all the while, he never leaves his sheep.  His presence is our comfort - no matter our circumstances.

Joshua 1:9 says, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." 

Hebrews 13:5 says, '...God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."'

The presence and guidance of the Shepherd go hand in hand.

Notice that God does not exempt his sheep from trials. Sometimes he does lead us through a valley that makes us feel as though we're in death's shadow.  All we want to do is get out!  It's tempting to assume that God has abandoned us.  How would a loving God allow this in my life?  At this point, we must resort to absolute TRUTH.  God is with me (Psalm 23:4, Joshua 1:9, Hebrews 13:5, Deuteronomy 31:6 and 8).  God is sovereign (Daniel 4:25 and 35, Psalm 139:16, Romans 11:33-36).  God is all-powerful (Genesis 18:14, Job 38, Joshua 4:24, Isaiah 40:26, John 13:3, Romans 1:20, Romans 4:20-21). God loves me (1John 4:16)  .

Let's go back to the fact that God is sovereign.  That means he is in complete control of everything.  He rules over all the universe.  There is NOTHING in all of creation over which God does not have complete, total and absolute control.  The book of Job, Luke 22 and Daniel 4 are just a few illustrations his sovereignty. 

What does this mean in regard to your "valley of the shadow of death?"  It means this:  nothing happens outside of God's control.  EVERYTHING that happens to you or comes into your life is filtered through God's fingers of love.  We've probably all been at the beach or in a sandbox. What happens when you pick up dry sand in your hand?  When you pick up dry sand, you can control how much sand you let fall through your fingers and at what pace it falls through.  You can even close your fist tightly so no sand falls through.  That is what God does with our lives. Everything - good and bad - is filtered through his LOVING hands because he LOVES you.

He created you - your personality, temperament, likes and dislikes.  He knew you at your birth (Psalm 139). Nothing - NO ONE - is a mistake or without purpose.  No one can deliver from his hand. God has a plan for your life (Psalm 139:16, Romans 8:28-30). And everything that comes into your life has been filtered through the hand of the sovereign God of the universe and it is designed to work together for good and to make you more like Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Because he is always working to make me more like Jesus Christ, I can accept whatever comes my way and even give thanks during a trial, affliction or storm.  This knowledge of God Most High should change your thinking about your circumstances... about your marriage, your job situation, your financial situation, the government, your childhood and parents, the health of your spouse, feeling overwhelmed by parenting or with your busy schedule ... whatever you are facing.

This is one of the most vital lessons we as followers of Jesus Christ will ever deal with.  Understanding his sovereignty can make a difference in whether we accept our circumstances as coming from him resulting in bringing him glory, or whether we continually rebel against our circumstances bringing him dishonor and causing bitterness within us.

Don't let your valley of the shadow of death be for nothing.

(note: To read previous Psalm 23 posts, click on the Psalm 23 label to the right under my family photos.)

He guides me in paths of righteousness

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

he restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness

for his name's sake.

Psalm 23:1-3

Our Shepherd provides guidance.  Like you and me, sheep settle for dry stubble and stagnant, polluted water if the shepherd doesn't guide them to green pastures and quiet waters.

Just like a shepherd leads his sheep, God leads us past the life we'd choose, past situations we'd get ourselves into ... sometimes even past a beautiful oasis that appears to be able to bring happiness and peace.

Remember that God's goal for his children is righteousness not a comfy, happy life. 

Righteousness in verse 3 means right, in the sense of straight, the path that brings the sheep most directly to their destination.  Philippians 1:6 tells us that we can be confident that God, who is working in our lives to make us more like Christ, will not give up on his children. Instead he will "carry [this work] on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

"God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life." (1 Thessalonians 4:7)

It may seem rather impossible but the Bible assures us of the opposite: "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." (2 Peter 1:3)

And why does he guide his children in paths of righteousness?  for his name's sake

For the sake of his glory and reputation. If his goal is for none to perish and all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), then he has to take care of us and guide us.  Others are watching. He wants to show the world that he is faithful to provide all the needs of his children and to guide them in righteous paths.

The Psalmist emphasizes his point in Psalm 18:30-36.

As for God, his way is perfect;

the word of the LORD is flawless.

He is a shield

for all who take refuge in him.

For who is God besides the LORD?

And who is the Rock except our God?

It is God who arms me with strength

and makes my way perfect.

He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;

he enables me to stand on the heights.

He trains my hands for battle;

my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

You give me your shield of victory,

and your right hand sustains me;

you stoop down to make me great.

You broaden the path beneath me,

so that my ankles do not turn.

He restores my soul

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to return to this post.  I've been struggling with how to share what the Lord has taught me through Psalm 23:3. 

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Psalm 23:1-3

The third verse starts out "He restores my soul."  Those words alone sound peaceful and inviting, don't they? 

He restores my soul.

The soul here is referring to the mind, the deep seated emotions.

Since the Psalm refers to God as our Shepherd, let's return to our sheep analogy. 

Sheep can easily become cast down.  This refers to the sheep falling down on it's side or back and not being able to get back up.  The sheep with flail its legs in an effort to turn over thus causing gas to build up in its body.  This gas paralyzes the sheep's legs.  This is called "cast."

This can happen to any sheep.  Do you see the parallel to our lives?  We can easily become cast down, discouraged and even depressed... Anyone of us can. I read that even Charles Spurgeon, the great theologian and preacher, suffered from depression due to his illnesses.

This discouragement and depression starts in our minds.  One tiny ounce of deceit enters our minds and it can lead down a very dangerous path. It's so easy for this to happen.  Anytime something that is untrue invades our minds, we are at risk for discouragement and doubt.  These lies are imaginations.  Anything that is not fact is an imagination.

I have a terrible time with this. My mind can so easily become filled with rubbish that I've begun to believe little by little and before I know it, I'm obsessed with an imagination that is consuming me.  Like any new mom, I was concerned about the health and safety of my first child but my worry was heightened by the fact that she had a compromised immune system and had heart surgery as a newborn.  I was obsessed with her dying. I'd lie in bed at night and imagine waking up in the morning to find that she had died in the night. I was paranoid. I was obsessed with the thought of her dying... even to the point of thinking through how I would tell Brad, what her funeral would be like, who would perform it, and on and on. I couldn't get the thoughts out of my head.  It consumed me.  And it wasn't until I went through Beth Moore's study Breaking Free that I realized that I was being held captive by my thoughts. So I want to share with you from this study what helped me to get rid of these imaginations, these lies.

I think women especially get so caught up in what could happen and speculations and reading into situations.  And so I want to spend some time on this point.

Isaiah 26:3 says "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you."

Look at the first part of the verse, "You will keep" -  You and I need a watchman sitting guard on the walls of our mind. And Jesus Christ is that watchman. The Hebrew word in the original text for keep is nasar ... to guard, protect; used to denote guarding a vineyard and a fortress. Those who performed this function were called "watchman."

"him whose mind is steadfast" - Every time a thought enters our minds, we must decide if we are going to believe that thought as truth based on God's word or as a deception based on God's Word. Note that your only standard is God's Word. Not something you've heard or read elsewhere or how you were raised or what you read on a blog or something your best friend or parents believe.  We must learn to bow our thoughts to the truth of God's Word.

Now look at 2 Corinthians 10:5 "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

I love this verse.  The verb tense in the last phrase "we take captive every thought" implies a repeated and continuous action. Just because I claim a truth one time, does not mean my mind will from then on reject the lies that fill my head. I have to keep on meditating on the truth.

Picture the captivity of your thought life like a prison cell wallpapered with lies.  The only way to tear down the lies wallpapering your minds is with the truth of God. So you have to KNOW the truth of God. And the only way to know the truth of God is to study his Word.

One of the things Beth Moore instructed us to do is make a list of all the lies that we believed regarding our particular issue. I made a list and it was long ... really long. I had no idea that I believed as much rubbish as I did; it was truly amazing to see it all on paper.

Then once we had identified the lies that wallpapered our minds, she instructed us to find Bible verses that pertained to our particular issues, write them down on spiral bound note cards, and carry them around with us.  Whenever these thoughts would creep into my mind, I was to whip out my note cards and read the verses that refuted the lies.

A verse that made a huge difference to me is Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." 

I would literally go through the list in the verse denouncing the imaginations in my head.... Is what I believe true?  Is it noble? Is it right? Is it pure? Is it lovely? Is it admirable? Is it excellent or praiseworthy?

And as I was reading these truths from God's Word and memorizing some of them, I was tearing down the wallpaper of lies in my mind and replacing it with wallpaper of truth.  One things Beth emphasized was that the walls of our minds will never stay bear.  Unless you replace the lies in your head with truth, the lies will return.

John 8:32 "Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free."

I love Romans 8:6 "The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace."  Doesn't that just sound freeing?

This couldn't be more true.... Once I replaced the lies of Kirsten dying with what God's Word said, a huge burden was lifted off my shoulders.  I do not deal with that issue anymore.  I did what 2 Corinthians 10:5 says and took these thoughts captive and made them obedient to Christ.

I am still amazed that these thoughts no long plague me.  I was truly obsessed. At times I couldn't even sleep.  The truth really does set us free.

Our Shepherd is here to restore our souls.  And he restores our souls through peace and rest as we trust him, as we dwell on his Truth.

Psalm 23.... I haven't forgotten

I haven't forgotten about the Psalm 23 devotionals. I'm still praying about how the Lord wants me to convey verse 3.  :)

Green Pastures and Quiet Waters

He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Psalm 23:2-3

Doesn't that sound peaceful?  It's especially appealing to me on this last day of preschool of the year because I want to complete what's left of my Christmas shopping.  Frantically running around finding stocking stuffers and other gifts is as far from green pastures and still waters as I think I can get!!

In the midst of this crazy time of year, how can we lie down in green pastures and drink from quiet waters?

Notice the verbs that convey the Shepherd's care for you:  He makes me lie down ... he leads ... he restores ... he guides.

Green pastures refers to rich pastures where the sheep don't need to move from place to place to be satisfied.  Do you see the metaphor in that?  We don't need to move from this job or from this small house that can't hold all my stuff or get a new car or a yacht or if only I had that husband or if my 2 year old would only potty train, or if these kids would stop waking me up at night so I wouldn't be so tired, or if we had more money or if, if, if....  The Shepherd's provision is enough.

Quiet waters or still waters in the King James Version literally means "waters of rest" in the original Hebrew.  Did you know sheep are afraid of rushing water?  They don't like loud noises so their water source needs to be quiet.  Picture a stream or brook whose shallow, clear water ripples gently over rocks and pepples.  It conveys peace, still, quiet.  No surprises.  Nothing scary.  Peace.  The water must be shallow as well because the wool of the sheep gets saturated and heavy when wet so they would sink and drown if in deep water.

The shepherd doesn't rush them.  He's patient. That's describes our God... patient, not in a hurry like I often seem to be with my kids.

He who began a good work in you will carry it on until completion. Philippians 1:5

The Message says God who started this great work in you will keep at it and bring it to a florishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears. I LOVE that it says florishing finish!  Like a grand finale. Like the last few bars of a musical masterpiece!  I will one day be just like Jesus Christ and little by little, through the Lord's patience, I will get to that point!

Another verse that describes our Shepherd's patience is 2 Peter 3:9

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

So often I want God to hurry up and teach me what I need to know so this trial can end and I can move on with my life.  But that is not how the Shepherd operates. He's patient; this trial is my life.  I can grow to be more like Christ through it or I can become bitter at my Shepherd for allowing it in my life.  It's a choice... MY choice.

When we take our time and drink from the Living Water, we will be as Psalm 1:2-3 states. When you read the Word of God and meditate on it and dwell on it throughout your day and as you lie in bed at night, you will be like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.  Whatever he does prospers. 

We will be refreshed; we will be satisfied.  The void in your life, that empty feeling that you lack purpose, will be filled when you walk closely with the Lord.

There is only one way to be truly refreshed and satisfied, and that is through a right relationship with Jesus Christ.  And by that I mean studying God's Word and obeying it.

My challenge to you today is to take a moment to kneel before your Shepherd.  Ask him to make you more like his Son, Jesus Christ.  Read from his Word and meditate on what you read.  Ask the Lord to use his Word to renew your mind thus giving you peace and satisfaction.

Our Shepherd

I love Christmas!  People are generally kinder, the music makes me happy, the lights on houses are beautiful and there's just an excitement in the air. 

One of my favorite verses is Luke 2:19 "But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart."  It's a beautiful reminder of what Christmas is all about: focusing on the birth of the Savior of the world.

Jesus Christ came because we need someone to be our shepherd... we need someone to save us.  Isaiah 53:6 says "We all like sheep have gone astray, each one of us has turned to his own way."  Not one of us is perfect or even close; the Bible says our righteous deeds are as fithy rags before God (Isaiah 64:6).  We all are in need of someone to save us from our own way, and then once he has saved us, to provide for us: to provide nourishment, direction and guidance, rest, comfort, love and a slew of other things.  This someone whom we all need is Our Shepherd, God the Father. 

I thought this Christmas season would be the perfect time to walk through Psalm 23 together to find out just how much the Creator of our universe desires to have a close relationship with you and me.  Over the next few days I plan on writing about what I've learned as I study this Psalm.  Come with me as we draw closer to our Lord and Savior while celebrating his birth this Christmas.

Verse 1 "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want."

Note first that the Psalmist uses the word "my," not "our shepherd."  His Lord is personal seeing each person on earth individually. He relates to each of us in our own personal lives.  John 10:3 says He calls his own sheep by name.  He knows your name; he knows the number of hairs on your head.  We need to understand God's tenderness.

One of the most amazing things about our Shepherd is that the God who spoke the world into existence desires to be close to each individual... including YOU.

For this is what the high and lofty One says--

he who lives forever, whose name is holy:

"I live in a high and holy place,

but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit,

to revive the spirit of the lowly

and to revive the heart of the contrite."  Isaiah 57:15

Nothing you've done can take away God's desire to be close to you.  He will always love you and want a strong, close relationship with you.  He's so unlike us in that regard.  When I've been hurt, I want nothing to do with the person who has hurt me.  I want the other person to suffer as much as I have. I may even sever the relationship.  Not so with God.  No matter how much you've rejected his ways, nothing will take away his desire to draw near to you.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,

neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth,

nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love

of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:38-39



The word "want" in verse 1 means "lacking" - The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not lack.

The provision of the Shepherd is total: complete care, complete guidance, complete provision.  He doesn't promise to meet us halfway if we can come up with the other half.  I'm sure you've heard the popular saying, "God helps those who help themselves."  Nothing could be further from the truth!

So what do we not lack?

In another one of David's Psalms he gives us insight:

Taste and see that the LORD is good;

blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
Fear the LORD, you his holy people,

for those who fear him lack nothing.

The lions may grow weak and hungry,

but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. 

Psalm 34:8-10

The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not lack any good thing.

Well, that's is enough for me to chew on for today. Next time we'll look at verse 2, perhaps my favorite verse of the Psalm.