Psalm 23 - The Lord Is

 This week I am in Psalm 23 and Psalm 23 is in me. 

THE LORD IS SHEPHERD

The LORD is my Shepherd: 

I lack nothing.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures:

He leads me beside still waters. 

THE LORD IS RESTORER

He restores my soul;

He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His Name's sake. 

 

THE LORD IS DEFENDER

Yea, 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. 

THE LORD IS PROVIDER & PROVISION

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies: 

You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. 

THE LORD IS EVER NEAR

Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:

and I shall live in the house of The LORD forever.  

COME TO JESUS - Chris Rice 

The Inspired Box - The Lord Is With Me

 

 

Deuteronomy 31:8

The LORD Himself goes before you;

He will be with you. He will never forsake you.

Do not be afraid or discouraged. 

    You are not alone in the annals of time, when you feel discouraged, a little on the edge or alone: you are in great company. Here Moses is speaking encouragement into Joshua's hearing and spirit in front of all the Israelites. For now Moses has entrusted the leadership he held for so long into Joshua's hands. A young leader taking the place of an elder is being blessed in his position by that elder. 

    Do not be afraid, young leader, nor allow discouragement to take hold of your thoughts and do let it rein in your actions. For THE LORD IS WITH YOU. He must lead you where He wants you to go. He must direct your steps and you must walk in the way He has planned and set before you. 

    The LORD has promised to never leave us, nor forsake us. He is ALWAYS with us when we obey His Word, His direction. We must not let distractions draw our attention away from the duties to hand. Distractions take up time which we do not have to spare, for these are the last minutes, even seconds perhaps, before Christ's return. 

    The disciples believed that they were living in the last days before Christ's return to come and gather them with Him. It's been nearly 2.000 years since then and still the church awaits the return of her King. But if 2,000 years was the last days and the last hours, surely we are nearer now. Do not doubt He is coming.

    For The Word says that "in the twinkling of an eye" (1 Corinthians 15:52) Jesus will come and get His church. "Like a thief in the night" (1 Thessalonians 5:2) He will appear: swiftly, silently, stealthily (for no one will see Him, no one will hear Him and no one will be aware of His approach when His Father sends Him to come and get us. 

    So, stand up young leaders; you who have been called to lead God's people into God's kingdom. Stand on The Word of God as you walk in it. Stand and hear what God is speaking to you today. Stand strong in your LORD and Savior (steadfast on The Rock of your Salvation) and see what The LORD can do. 

    Lead by Christ's example: 

Lead in the all-encompassing love of God

Lead in submission to The Word of God

Lead in surrender to The Word of God

Lead in tender mercies

Lead in lovingkindness

Lead where no one wants to go (to the least of these)

Lead in prisons and hospitals (setting captives free and healing the sick)

Lead in your homes, your schools and your towns 

Lead only where God tells you, directs you, to lead 

Lead in humility (admit failings and triumphs, take responsibility for your actions/words spoken)

Lead with integrity (be honorable and live honestly) 

    Many of the faithful churches which still stand are filled with elders. The young have grown up and moved out of the church and its steadfast doctrine of saving grace. The faint sound of children's voices and happy laughter are just a whisper of memory. But even now God is calling His wandering children to repent and return to Him. Fear not little churches, God will raise up leaders for Himself who will serve Him honorably and humbly. 

Dear Lord,

       We pray that The Holy Spirit would get ahold of each and every one of you who are not serving Him faithfully -- regardless of your age--, convicting you of sin and leading you back to Christ in God. We pray that God would pour out His Holy Spirit upon our homes, our neighborhoods, our communities, our towns and cities, our countries. We pray for a mighty outpouring of God to bring you into His kingdom, drawing you in with His Words of Love and Life. 

In Jesus' Beautiful Name,
Amen. 

FEAR NOT - Carman

LET IT RAIN = Michael W. Smith 

HOLY SPIRIT RAIN DOWN 

  

The Lord Is Present - - Come Near

 

THE LORD IS PRESENT

Present: To Give to, To announce someone's entrance into your presence

Present: Gift given

Presence: In the vicinity of, nearby, close at hand

    Every offering made to The LORD GOD in the Old Testament was made with fire; a sacrifice had to be given with the offering. It is not enough to give The LORD words, actions must back these words up. 

DO OUR GIFTS TO GOD HONOR HIM?

    We say, Lord, Here I am, use me. But when He places us in the midst of trials and temptations, what do we do? Mostly complain. Lord, I didn't ask for this. Lord, get me out of this. How about saying something a little bit (a lotta bit) different? Lord, show me how to be a blessing to you in this trial. Give me Your Word to speak in this temptation. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I may remain strong and steadfast, standing against the very thing that wants to take me out or knock me down. 

    The Word says not to promise God we will do something and then not do it. When that happens, we have lied to God and we will have to answer for it. Numbers 30:2; Deuteronomy 23:21; Ecclesiastes 5:4; Psalm 66:13. 

GOD GIVES GOOD GIFTS

    We give gifts to each other with the intent that the recipient would be pleased with the gift being given and receive it with grace. God gives us wonderful gifts. He gives us life and then promises life eternal if we choose His only begotten Son as our Lord and Savior, for that is the Gift God gives each one who believes. Christ is the Gift of Grace, the Gift of Lovingkindness, the Gift of Mercy promised to a thousand generations. Jesus is the Gift of Hope, the Gift of Wisdom. The Holy Spirit is the Gift of Understanding, the Gift of Revelation, the Gift of Guardianship. 

    God gives us beauty. He has created the universe: the stars, the moon, the sun, the planets, the galaxies, the Milky Way, the comets, the nebulae, for His pleasure. God has created the earth and everything in it because it makes Him happy. He is still creating: people are constantly finding new animals and plants; though they call them evolutionary developments, adaptations to a changing world. 

    God gives us Himself. He wrapped His Word in a fragile package of flesh and bone (John 1:14) and had His Holy Spirit place it in a young virgin, whom He found faithful to Him. (Luke 1:35). That's Love. His plan of Salvation would soon be fulfilled. The Gospel of repentance and faith would soon be among us. In fact, even now, The Lord is Present. 

COME AND SEE 

    Are you aware of The Presence of God? Can you hear Him calling you to enter into His presence? Come, come and see The King of The Jews. Come, come and see the tomb is empty, for He has risen. Come, come and rejoice over the lost sheep that has been found. The Spirit and the Bride, they say, Come, come and hear. God is calling you to be near Him. That's a Wonderful Gift to be given to mere mankind. Our heavenly Father wants us to be near Him, with Him, forever and ever. 

    Come, come and see the Newborn King (Luke 2:8-20). Come, let us go up to the mountain of The LORD (Micah 4:2). Come, let us enter His courts with thanks giving and praise (Psalm 100:4 ). Come, let us sing for joy to The LORD (Psalm 95:6). Come and see Jesus (John 4:29; John 1:46; John 1:29-34). 

    So, I say now, this day: Come, come and see Jesus. Contemplate and consider The WORD of GOD. Believe that this JESUS the CHRIST, the MESSIAH, is indeed The Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world! Come, come and see for yourself, with the eyes of your heart, with the ears of your understanding. Come, come and see JESUS. And stay near to Him all the days of your life.  

THE LORD IS NEAR 

ABIDE IN ME 

ABBA