Signs & Wonders of Christ's Arrival - - The Shepherd King

 

Ezekiel 34:23

I will appoint over them one Shepherd, My Servant David, and He will feed them. He will feed them and be their Shepherd.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 7462

Shepherd: to graze, to pasture, to tend

From the Hebrew word 'ra'ah' (pronounced raw-aw'). 

As Christ is the Good Shepherd, it was only fitting that the first under-shepherds were the ones who came and worshiped first. (Luke 2:8, 15-18).

GOD'S SHEPHERD IS GOOD

John 10:11, 14

11. I am The Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

14. I am The Good Shepherd, and I know My own, and I am known by My own. 

GOD'S SHEPHERD IS SAVIOR

Psalm 28:9

Save Your people and bless Your inheritance; shepherd them and carry them forever.

John 10:17, 18

Because of this, the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from My Father.”

GOD'S SHEPHERD IS PERSONAL

John 10:3

The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen for his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

Psalm 23:1

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. 

John 10:27

My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.

GOD'S SHEPHERD IS LOVING

Isaiah 40:11

He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes.

Revelation 7:17

For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

(Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 4165 Feed Them: to shepherd, to tend, to herd, to rule, to govern. From the Greek word 'poimainó' (pronounced poy-mah'-ee-no). [occurs 11 times in the NT, usually with a figurative sense of "shepherding (tending) God's flock." This provides Spirit-directed guidance (care) conjunction with feeding His people (teaching them Scripture).]

Psalm 23:2 

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

GOD'S SHEPHERD HAS MANY SHEEP

John 10:16

I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.

Isaiah 56:8

Thus declares the Lord GOD, who gathers the dispersed of Israel: "I will gather to them still others besides those already gathered."

Ezekiel 34:6

My flock went astray on all the mountains and every high hill. They were scattered over the face of all the earth, with no one to search for them or seek them out.'

Ezekiel 34:12 

As a shepherd looks for his scattered sheep when he is among the flock, so I will look for My flock. I will rescue them from all the places to which they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.

Ezekiel 37:24

My servant David will be king over them, and there will be one shepherd for all of them. They will follow My ordinances and keep and observe My statutes.

John 11:52

And not for that nation only, but that also He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.

John 1:11-13

He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God. 

As David wrote in Psalm 23, The LORD is my Shepherd. He feeds me on His Word, He refreshes me in Himself; He leads me, He guards me, He restores me, He protects me, He provides a better home for me. 

Have you made The LORD your Shepherd, too? He calls your name as He travels the hillsides and valleys, looking for you to answer by running to Him, to the sound of His voice. He has no need to shout your name, nor yell out into the vast wilderness. The Shepherd King need only call out your name. And you, like I, can come to His side immediately and be nurtured by Him and in Him.  

Psalm 23 by Don Moen

Yeshua by Paul Wilbur

Jesus Leads Me Beside Still Waters by Gloria Bailey & The New Heavenly Voices

Jesus Said Come To The Waters by The Norlins

 

Understanding Psalm 23-The Joy of Being Pursued

Psalm 23:6
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of The Lord for ever.

~Surely (because of) what I now know to be true and Truth, because I know now Who my Shepherd, my Lord, is to me and for me, goodness (the good things of God) and mercy (the lovingkindness of God) shall follow me (pursue, chase after, hunt [down], run after) all the days (sunrise to sunrise) of my life (chronicles, age, daily living): and I will dwell (live, inhabit, settle down in, remain) in the house of The Lord for ever.~

Bringing together in six short but meaning-filled verses, David writes of a relationship with God that is like no other. It is a lifelong commitment that requires knowing not only Who loves you but who hates you and is against you. For in these verses we learn right away that we have enemies: enemies who would love nothing more than to see us fail and die. We learn that the only way to survive is to be near God, The Good Shepherd. And that is just what Jesus called Himself. In John 10:11, Jesus is speaking to the crowds, among whom are the Pharisees. "I am The Good Shepherd; The Good Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep."

Surely, meaning beyond a shadow of a doubt, I know for a fact, and do believe with all of my heart, that the good things which God has prepared for me, and His mercy, His lovingkindness, pursue me and follow me so closely that there is no way anything else could ever catch me and throw me off my course.

For this is an endurance race: to the finish we must run, to the prize which is before us, to obtain a good report from The Lord, we must keep every part of our being focused on Him. For The Lord God is our Good Shepherd, and where He leads we must follow in order to place our feet where they must go. Seldom, do we actually see sheep fall down a mountain or hillside, though it does happen. Their feet are created to bound across mountaintops and hills, to walk narrow paths around mountainsides. But if their feet follow their appetite, they will fall.

If we allow our appetite to take control of the direction we go, then we have put our needs first. It is only when we take our eyes off of ourselves and place them back on The Lord God that we are able to avoid distractions which will delay our arrival at the finish line. Every part of the body of Christ works together successfully in order that God's purpose might be fulfilled. And God's purpose Will Be Fulfilled, make no doubt about that.

Not all hunts end in death. Geo-caching is when one person buries objects in different locations, then creates a map using a GPS for others to follow and find the object. Buried treasures the 21st century way. But God's treasures are in God's Word. To find them we must first believe and accept that Jesus Christ is Lord. We must believe God's Word to be Truth and without error or fault. We must acknowledge and admit that we are sinners in God's eyes, according to God's Standards. We must repent of our sins, turn away from doing them, and begin our new life in Christ. "He reveals the deep and secret things: He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells in Him." Daniel 2:22

We must also seek out and be baptized with God's Holy Spirit. For it is The Spirit which reveals the Truth of God's Word. Just reading our Bible will not work. You cannot look for God's buried treasure without the proper tools. Do you just dig a hole with your hands? No. You need to use the right tool for the job at hand. So, in order to dig into God's Word properly we need to #1 Repent of sins in our life and believe that Jesus Christ is Lord of all and #1 Be baptized with The Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. #3 Be faithful to God in reading His Word and obeying Him. You will know when God is speaking to you, telling you to do this or that, depending on where He is leading you.

But wherever God leads you and I, surely goodness and mercy shall follow us. And not just some of the time but all the time: all the days of my life. For ever. I keep tasting that word 'surely' and it sits well on my tongue. Surely. Because of what has been and what is and what will be. Because I know and believe. Because it has been declared and I also declare it. Surely.

 With sure-footed faith I follow God's leading. I may not always see where He is taking me, but I believe that when He goes before me, He will not leave me. Regardless of how steep the climb, how rough the way, how seemingly impossible the path. God's hand is on me. And it can be on you, too, if not already in place.

Goodness. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from The Father of lights; with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James 1:17


Mercy. Psalm 136 speaks continually, like running water through my soul, of God's mercy enduring for ever.

There are 26 verses in this chapter and each one gives a reason and a statement: Who God is or what God has done AND His mercy endures for ever. God's mercy is God's favor. Those who believe and follow will have God's favor on them FOR EVER. It is one of many promises which God makes to us through His Word. For ever God Is. That tastes good, too.

And I shall dwell in the house of The Lord for ever. Where does The Lord live? Well, God inhabits the praises of His people-Psalm 22:3. He also states that He lives in a house not made with hands-Mark 14:58 and 2 Corinthians 5:1. He covers Himself with light-Psalm 104:2. In Him is no darkness-1 John 1:5.

When Jesus prayed in the garden before He was arrested, He asked that we become one in Him as He is in The Father and as The Father is in Him-John 17:21. Why? "That the world may believe." God is in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is in God. Believers are in Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ is in us. We are God's children, God's people, and where we go, God goes with us, Christ goes with us, The Holy Spirit goes with us. For each dwells/lives/stays/remains in us when we believe.

We who believe that Jesus Christ  is Lord of All, that He is God's only begotten Son who died on the cross and rose from the dead, are one in spirit, one in truth and one in heart. Jeremiah 32:39 "I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me For Ever, for the good of them, and for their children after them."
Acts 4:32 "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things common."

Ephesians 4:1-6

 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation with which you are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 


FOR EVER.

The Shepherd's Table

Psalm 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; 

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

     The most important thing to know in any sentence is the beginning, which in this case is God: Thou. The second thing to know is the verb, what action is taking place by the proper noun: setting up and setting a meal on: preparest. God prepares a table before me where my enemies can see.

What is on God's table? Bread, Wine, Water and Meat. Jesus tells us in The Word that He is our Bread, our Wine, and our Living Water. Remember, now, we are speaking on a spiritual level. He told the crowds that we need to eat of His flesh and drink of His blood. He was not speaking literally; because He is God's Son, Jesus speaks a spiritual language. His Word is difficult to take, to understand, if you are not in The Spirit yourself.

     God's table is not for everyone. Only those who believe that His only begotten Son lives. Factually speaking, only those who have invitations are allowed to sit at God's table. These invitations were written in red and tied with gold: it is through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, His sufferings, His wounds, that we are invited. It is through His resurrection from the grave that we are invited. Where you see a cross, I see a Savior. Where you see a tomb, I see a Redeemer. It is God's Grace on God's Table that is in plain view of our enemies.

     Jesus Christ is our Bread, our Wine, and our Living Water. But where does the meat fit in? Well, now we return to our Scriptures, like always. Besides, do we really ever leave the Scriptures? I believe not, for God's Word is in our hearts, guiding us in His direction; leading us to His treasures, His nuggets of gold and silver, spiritual gold and silver. In John 3:31-38, His disciples are concerned that Jesus has not eaten. His response is in verses 34-38: “My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work.”

See it yet? On The Shepherd's Table is our life and our life's work: the call to salvation, the call to eternal life, the call to righteousness and the call to service. When the first two are answered, the third becomes a work in progress and the fourth is a given. Tell people about Jesus Christ. Share Jesus Christ with the world, what is commonly known as The Great Commission in Mark 16:15 “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

     I have answered the calls. All four of them. I go into the world via my keyboard. My desk is my pulpit and my congregation is viewed via my monitor. My congregation? The world. My voice is shaky, but my spirit is strong. I love dining at The Shepherd's Table. He is more than my Host, He is my Friend.

And did you notice in Psalm 23:5 where the table sits? In the midst, in the center of my enemies: The Shepherd's Table is in plain sight of those who are against me. Not just me, though; they hate my Shepherd. As He told me, when He met me, “They hated Me and persecuted Me and they will do the same to you.” When He called us to His side, we were not only called to serve with Him, but suffer with Him. And still, I answered the call. But, back to the table.

     There is no need to look up from my seat for I can feel the hate. You know that you can feel this around you, too, if you have accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior. We are hated for His sake. We are persecuted, made fun of, lied about. It is for righteousness' sake that we have enemies. The unrighteous, the unsaved, the unbeliever in our families, in our workplaces, in our homes, in our governments, has made known to us that we are not welcome.

     Christians world-wide are under attack by the enemies of Jesus Christ. And we who have Christ in us, are the targets. Many of us are falsely accused and thrown in jail or killed. Prisons, prison camps and hell holes are filled with Christians who have been accused of spying, converting, and even speaking the Name of Jesus. There is power in The Name of Jesus Christ. It is powerful and mighty: His Name divides Truth from lies. His Name separates Good from evil. His Name is Light and Life to all who seek and find Him. Even they who seek to kill us are overcome, at times, by His lovingkindness and grace. This is meat.

     To do the will of God is the meat that graces The Shepherd's Table. His meat was to preach, teach, heal, deliver; suffer, be killed, defeat the devil, and rise from the grave. On the cross, He said, “It is finished.” What was finished? The work which God His Father had given Him to do. He had the power to not only lay down His life, but to take it back up again. Our meat? To do the will of God, to take the love of God, Jesus Christ, into the world. To show each and every person the lovingkindness, the mercy, which God gives to each. To share with all peoples the grace which is evident in the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ.

God's will is that all be saved. God's will is that we are to love Him only with all our hearts, our minds, souls; and to love each other as we love ourselves. And we do love ourselves, don't we? We love to smell good, feel good, believe we are good, and live good. But how often do we love others the way we love ourselves? I bet if that happened more often, the world around us would change, the people around us would change. But in order to get there, we have to set ourselves aside and put God first, instead of ourselves first. To do God's will is to do what God wants us to do, not what we ourselves want us to do. And we can't do that by ourselves. It is not a twelve-step program, it is a one-step.

     On The Shepherd's Table is a bottle of oil. This oil is poured over my head, where it runs down over my shoulders and torso, onto my legs, my feet. It is the anointing of God in my life. As Aaron was anointed for service, so, too, are Christians anointed when they seek the baptism of The Holy Spirit. He is our Anointing. He covers us outside and fills us inside. It is through Him that we are able to serve with integrity in The Shepherd's service. The oil is necessary to our survival and our growth.

     Listening to The Holy Spirit prevents us from turning tail and running away from God, when we become aware that we have enemies that seek to kill us and harm us. Your life may appear to get harder to live. It is an illusion and you need to have faith that God is with you and is able to get you through whatever is making your life so hard to deal with. In this city there is a great cry for something, Someone, greater than what they see or have. Bars on nearly every corner. Drug dealers living next door. Suicide is rampant. And now a casino is being built here. The Church in our city needs to fall on her knees before her God and bring this city to it's knees, also. I would rather see my city consumed with spiritual fire that burns away the dross and leaves only the pure, than see the enemy devour it one soul at a time.

     God's will is for all to be saved. And God's will, God's heart, is my heart, too. The enemies of the cross are every where, and they are outspoken and loud. Getting louder daily. Why are we so silent? What are we waiting for? For them to come knocking on our doors? Dragging us away, too? Did you know that preaching The Word of God is against the law here in America? It is considered hate speech by our enemies. But we are not to deal with them violently, but with love, mercy and grace. We are not the judge, nor are we the jury. We are saved by grace, and it is this grace we are to share with those who are against us.

     When we try to do things our way, we always mess up. And we go running to God to get us out of our scrapes. What we should do, all the time, is run to God first and seek His will in what we are to do next. We need to take our eyes off of who is against us and put our line of sight back on God, back on Jesus Christ, our Shepherd. Stop listening to the wolves, the bears and the lions. Start listening, and keep on listening, to The Word of God. Eventually, His gentle voice will drown out their gnashing teeth and salivating tongues. What did Stephen say, when his enemies stoned him? Acts 7:58 “But he, being full of The Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, 'Behold (look now), I see The Son of man standing on the right hand of God.”

     He preached message of the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ to those around him. Being convicted in their hearts, they knew he was speaking Truth. But they did not want to hear the Truth, so they attacked him. Upon stating that he could Jesus and God, they covered their ears with their hands, dragged him out of the city and stoned him to death. Let me tell you something, just covering your ears will not prevent the gospel from reaching your heart. Before Stephen died, he forgave the men who were stoning him. And he forgave them out loud; they knew that he had forgiven them while they were killing him. How many hearts were changed that day at that time we will only know when we reach heaven ourselves.

     The oil, the anointing, does not protect the body from death. But it strengthens the soul within with boldness to continue preaching Jesus and Him crucified and resurrected regardless of outside circumstances. When the body is no longer needed, the spirit and the soul are released, and ascend into heaven to live there eternally with God and with Christ.

     As I look to my right, I see a pitcher of Water. And I know that this is The Living Water which Christ gives to those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. It is mine for the asking. So, of course, I ask for this Living Water to quench my thirst. Mmm, it's really good. Sweet and clear, this Water tingles in my mouth and washes over every dry area of my throat and all the way down. Have you ever had spring water? It's clean. No pollutants, no germs, no bacteria  no harmful substances are in it. But as clean and clear as spring water is, it has nothing nor does it even come close to Living Water. As I write, I lick my lips, savoring the refreshing taste of The Shepherd's Living Water in my palate. This is what I have been waiting for.

     As water washes away the dirt and grime and makes us presentable, so, too, does this Living Water wash away my iniquities and transgressions. I am made presentable to God because Jesus Christ is living in me. Because The Holy Spirit is moving through me, uprooting old sins and replacing them with The Word of God: He is making me holy and pure. For it is only when I am holy and pure that I will be able to see God and stay in God's presence. Are you thirsty yet? I am.

     This Living Water is in my cup, and my cup runs over. The Water splashes over the top and into my saucer, onto my hands. Amazing, the healing powers of this Living Water. I am made strong by its strengths. I am made clean by its powers. Created to worship God, serve God, wait on God. Not for God, for He is already here. But on God, for His direction and His timing. This Water clears my eyes of sleep and sleepiness, making me see with clarity and able to understand what I am reading. God is my Praise and my Healer.

     I live to serve with love. Every blessing I receive at The Shepherd's Table is not just mine, but yours and anyone else who listens, who hears the gospel. I am blessed that I may bless others. I cannot bless anyone with anything unless I first come to this Table and receive the blessing for that day which God has prepared for me.

     In the presence of my enemies The Shepherd's Table sits. Daily it is set up for me. Daily we dine together. Daily we are confronted by those who seek to destroy us. They who hate us, lie about us or to us, wish we were dead or dying; they who persecute us, mock and belittle us, seek our end are our enemies. Daily they are with us. Daily we sit at The Shepherd's Table and dine on Bread and Wine and Water and Meat. Daily I study The Word of God in order to bring forth the whole Word and not just a bite of it. Daily I share Jesus with someone, any one who will listen. Daily I am refreshed, healed, called, strengthened, anointed and satisfied, content.

      He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. We must do the same. Never leave Him, nor forsake Him. When we stick close to The Shepherd, The Shepherd stays close to us. He is never any farther away than a prayer. And prayers need to be made continually on each other's behalf. When we do pray in the way in which God instructs us to pray, He hears our prayers. Daily praying. Alone, in our secret places, where none can see nor hear. For our conversation is with God, and not with prying ears and eyes. Alone time with God is both priceless and precious. Take advantage of your relationship with God and Christ, and spend some time with them. Now.

For Thou Art With Me-Understanding Psalm 23

In The Valley

In order to have a shadow, you must have light. And the light can be either before you, to show the shadow behind you; or the light may be behind you, revealing the shadow ahead of you.

     A valley has three parts: a beginning, a middle and an end. It's length is determined by distance from one hill, mountain, clifftop, precipice or high place to another. Valleys are seldom flat or easy to walk on. Meadows, forests and waters can separate valleys causing them to appear as if they were not really valleys at all.

     Valleys encompass only a fraction of land: water covers 90% of the earth; and most of that is undrinkable. Land covers the other 10%, but a portion of that is uninhabitable, due either to wastelands or extreme heat, which leaves us with about 8% of this earth is land, which is covered in valleys, mountains, hills, plains, deserts, forests.

     The majority of this 8% is habitable. Unfortunately, many people fight over the land instead of learning how to live with the land and with each other. From a small village to a hidden getaway; from a metropolis to a country villa; from a castle to a hut; from kings to thugs; land is sold, taken away, blood-soaked, ruined to wastes, and burned. The dead are buried beneath the land, burned and scattered across the land by winds, and hidden in tall stone pyramids above the land or laid to rest in mausoleums above ground; while some sink to the bottom of the ocean.

     The lands we live on are decimated by hate, a symptom of darkness. Darkness which covered the earth at one time, but was sent fleeing when God created light: Genesis 1:2-4 “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, 'Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.”

     Light reveals darkness and sends it fleeing away. The more light there is, the less dark there is. The more Light (1 John 1:5 “This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God Is Light, and in Him is no darkness at all.”) there is, the less darkness (Ephesians 6:12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”) there is.

     God Is Light. What a beautiful Name this is! James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, and comes down from The Father of lights, with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” No shadow of turning, no separation from God. No variableness, no never contrary, not fickle in nature; always true and truthful, faithful, sure.

     God Is Near. No separation from God. Isaiah 41:10, 13 “Fear thou not, for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you with the right hand of My Righteousness. --- For I The Lord thy God will hold your right hand, saying unto you, 'Fear not; I will help you.” Hebrews 13:5, 6 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for He has said, 'I will never leave you, nor forsake you. So that we may boldly say, 'The Lord Is my Helper, and I will not fear what man shall do to me.'” Psalm 27:1 “The Lord Is my Light and my Salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord Is the Strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

     God Is my Helper. Psalm 27:2-3, 5 “When the wicked, even my enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident....For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock.”

God Is Provision. Psalm 23:4 “Yes, 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 comfort me.”

Psalm 25:2 “O my God, I trust in You: let me not be ashamed, let not my enemies triumph over me.” 

Psalm 27:11 “Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of my enemies.”

Psalm 28:7 “The Lord Is my Strength and my Shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoices; and with my song I will praise Him.”

Psalm 31:3 “For You are my Rock and my Fortress; therefore for Your Name's sake lead me, and guide me.”

Psalm 32:7 “You are my Hiding Place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall compass me about with songs of Deliverance. Selah.”

Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is near to them that are of a broken heart; and saves such as be of a contrite spirit.”

Psalm 37:5, 6 “Commit your way unto The Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass. And He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noonday.”

Psalm 38:39, 40 “But the salvation of the righteous is of The Lord: He Is their Strength in the time of trouble. And The Lord shall help them, and deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him.”

Psalm 40:1-4 “I waited patiently for The Lord; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a Rock, and established my goings. And He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in The Lord. Blessed is that man that makes The Lord his trust, and respects not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.”

Psalm 43:3 “O send out Your light and Your truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto Your holy hills, and to Your tabernacles.”

Psalm 46:1 “God Is our Refuge and Strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Psalm 56:3,-4, 9 -13“What time I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God I will praise His Word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do to me. … .When I cry unto You, then shall my enemies turn back: this I know; for God is with me. In God will I praise His Word: in The Lord will I praise His Word. In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. You r vows are upon me, O God: I will render praise unto You. For You have delivered my soul from death: will You not also deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?”

For Thou Art With Me

“O my Lord, 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. Such a restful verse this is. I am contented in The Lord. I trust Him in all things, all ways, always. The Lord is my friend, my constant companion and I am His. He neither turns to the left, nor to the right: God is very near to me at all times. We walk the strait and narrow road together, for The Lord God is my Righteousness. It is He that covers me with His covenant of Grace and Lovingkindness.

We walk together in His light and His love. For when He redeemed my soul from death, He filled me with His light and His love. His Name is upon me. His glory shines upon me and through me. Your rod and Your staff guide me and lead me to safer places, higher places, where no evil can go. You hold my right hand and guide my fingers and my heart when I write, when I embrace Your Word. You are the Strength of my life; in You I am found: Lord, be found in me. Be the center of my life, the joy of my praise, my songs are of You. You are my Salvation: with Your blood You have redeemed my soul. Not enough words can be found to praise Your Name for ever. Yet, I will try and I will endure till the end, when You finally bring me home with You. Amen."

Still Waters

He Leads Me Beside Still Waters

Psalm 23:2 “He leads me beside Still Waters.”

     There are some days when I absolutely cannot move. Thankfully those days are rarer now that I am getting stronger in every aspect. But the days when I cannot do much of anything and sitting often is a necessity, those are the days I draw from The Well. Sitting outside or near an open window is very peaceful for me. Songbirds in neighbors' trees; squirrels playing on the utility pole and along our fences; traffic rumbling by somewhere close; these are the sounds of my days. But The Song in my heart never ceases to breathe life into me, stirring my soul with the call of 'draw close to Me and I will draw close to you.'

     His hands are gentle but firm; strong yet flexible. He picks me up when I stumble and nearly fall. (Literally, too. I weave, I wobble, but I never fall, for I believe He is near to hold me up and lift me up).

     My Shepherd's voice is pleasant when I am near, firmer when I wander a little bit away and used to be faint when I was not so near, not so close. I do not miss those days. With His gentleness and kindness He has brought me near to Him and I do not wander any more.

     No longer do I long for greener pastures on the other side of the fence, outside the safety of My Shepherd's pasture. The only reason the grass is greener on the other side is because it isn't really grass at all: it's fake grass, turf. Sheep cannot exist on fake grass; tasting it is nauseating; eating it is toxic, deadly. Both the body and the soul require real sustenance to be healthy and strong. One needs food and water, the other needs The Word of God spoken into it.

Word of God Speak

      Are still waters still? Yes. According to the Free Dictionary, still waters are defined as flat or level sections of water which have no flow or discernible motion. Yet, the water could either be shallow or deep; which is why the sheep would need a wise Shepherd to lead them while near it. Some still waters flow gently over large rocks, on mountainsides or through mountains. A Shepherd is necessary when it comes to being near still waters.

     Notice the word “waters” is plural. Sheep must be watered more than once in their lifetime. Just like we do. Our Shepherd leads us beside Still Waters. We are drawn gently to His side, as the classic hymn says, “Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, Calling O sinner, come home.” In our daily lives there is so much noise and distractions calling us away from our Shepherd. The thief in the pasture removes one sheep after another by tempting it with greener grasses. Entertainments entice us and keep us amused for hours on end. Time passes. Life happens. And now many sheep have gone astray.

     But The Shepherd's voice still calls them to Himself. He never gives up on bringing His sheep home again, nor does He stop searching for them, wherever they may be. Wandering sheep browse the grasses, sometimes unaware that they have gone so far away. Until danger makes itself known and then the sheep bleat, letting The Shepherd know they are in immediate danger. And The Shepherd hastens to the crying voice of the lost sheep, seeking the cry of the heart that is terrified, weak, scared, alone, afraid, hopeless, lost.

      Finding the wanderer, The Shepherd fights for the lost sheep, defeating the danger and death which surely would have overtaken the sheep had He not arrived in time. The Shepherd cradles the lost sheep which is now found in His arms, holding it close to His heart, that the shaking sheep might calm and be at peace. Setting it down, He leads it back to the pasture, back to the waters, back home; where the sheep remains, staying close to/near its Shepherd. 

     My Shepherd defeated Satan when I was in his clutches. My Shepherd defeated death, hell and the grave for me. And He only had to do it once. There are many wolves in a wolf pack but there is only one leader of a pack; in the claws of evil that leader is the devil. And while he finds many ways to attack people and separate them from God's hands, the only One who can defend them from him is Jesus Christ, The Good Shepherd. He who died on the cross and rose from the dead; in life He submitted Himself to The Almighty God, His Father. In death, He fought the devil and won, overcame death and walked out of the grave when His Father rolled the stone away.

     My Shepherd not only has my back, He has all of me. Every breath, every heart-beat, every waking moment belongs to Him. I stay near Him now. He truly, truly leads me beside still waters. And for this I am thankful. I sure love my Shepherd.

Green Pastures

"I have learned in whatsoever circumstance I am therewith to be content." Paul speaking in a letter to the church in Philippi.

"Let your conversation be w/o covetousness; and be content with such things as you have, for He has said, 'I will never leave you, nor forsake you." Peter writing a letter to the church in Jerusalem.

"Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you." David speaking to his son Solomon, on the building of the temple of God. 

THE WORD OF GOD IS ALIVE BECAUSE THE WORD OF GOD IS JESUS CHRIST AND HE IS LIFE ETERNAL. What was written to others then is written to us NOW.

The Bible is not a dusty manuscript, nor is it only a 'dead sea scroll': IT IS THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD. JESUS CHRIST is the LIVING WORD OF GOD. And when GOD speaks, that is THE SPOKEN WORD OF GOD.

     When we read our Bibles aloud, or hear The Word spoken by those who teach it or preach it, then we are hearing GOD speak. Do not listen to the voice of the one speaking or preaching: LISTEN TO GOD.

     We are all accountable to GOD for what we HEAR, what we SAY, what we SEE, what we DO, what we TOUCH.

     See the first three words in the first verse? I HAVE LEARNED. Paul had been through much for the sake of the gospel and he wrote them that HE HAD LEARNED. Learning to be content in every situation, not wanting what someone else had, regardless of where he was or what conditions his living arrangements, if any, were like.

      PSALM 23:2a “He makes me to lie down in green pastures.” Through a learning process, I have been made to lie down in the greener pastures of GOD. I would like to say that I have learned to be content, but when we see a beautiful garden or a wraparound porch or a lovely vacation home in the mountains, I have found myself saying, “I want that” or “I wish we could do that”. That is envy rearing its ugly little head into my life. I am still learning to be content in all things; but I do believe I am getting there.

     When a shepherd needs to train a wandering sheep who keeps escaping through fences or keeps falling off the cliff-side in search of sweeter grasses, he breaks its leg gently. GOD does not break our legs in the same way as this. What God did was to send His Holy Spirit to the believers who earnestly desired to be comforted and strengthened after Christ returned to heaven. They needed Someone to guide them in the ways and the will of God until Christ's return.

     To hear God's Word when it is spoken, The Holy Spirit must draw you nearer to God. Often one of the first ways He does, is to prompt you to stand up and walk down the aisle of the church-place you are in and get on your knees. The Holy Spirit will gently lead you to Christ, perhaps through another person who will offer to pray with you, and then to God. Becoming a born-again Christ is not difficult; the hardest thing you will ever do on that leg of the journey is take that first step. It is the steps we take after we stand up that could become more difficult.

     To have God hear your words, you must have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life and everything that pertains to your life. He is King of all kings and Lord of all lords; there is none higher, none greater, no one outranks Him. For even His own Father has said that we are to WORSHIP CHRIST. Everything we do in our lives should reflect Jesus Christ.

     How does My Shepherd MAKE me to lie down in green pastures? He calls to me and while at the first few times I will respond, it is when I am farther away from His voice that I do not respond quite as quickly nor as affectionately. So He must come after me and lead me back to His side. I am learning to be content in His pastures. Reading His Word daily keeps me near Him. While in the beginning of my newly born-again life, which began a mere 20 years ago (I was saved when I was 34), I was content to just read my Bible, it became clear right away to me, that I needed more. So I began to study, and when that wasn't enough, I began to seek the baptism of The Holy Spirit; just like they who gathered in the upper room in the Book of Acts, waited and prayed to receive The Comforter Who had been promised to them by Jesus.

     And I was baptized after many days of prayer and hearing The Word of God being preached by an evangelist who had visited our church. The devil tried to keep me away by having me work one or more of those nights, but God had a plan for me down at that altar, and He made a way yet again for me to receive what He had promised for me.

     To be content in all things, to be able to be at peace in every complication, is something I am still working on. I have anxiety, I get panic attacks; sometimes they are pretty bad. So my husband is learning how to recognize them. Even though my heart races and I can't catch my breath and I can't talk or communicate in any way, these attacks can be mistaken and diagnosed otherwise. They are not heart attacks, nor am I stroking out; it is not even 'malaise' as one such ER doctor put it. They are rare, but they do still happen.

     And yet, on some level, I am at peace because I know that God Is With me. Because I believe Him when He says He will never leave me, nor forsake me. I believe God when He says He loves me and will always be near me. I believe God and that's what keeps me in His greener pastures. Do you? 

Restoration-The Paths of Righteousness

The more you know, the more you understand. The more you understand, the more you exercise wisdom. The more you exercise wisdom, the more you know.

Restoration

“He restores my soul; He leads me in The Paths of Righteousness for His Name's Sake.”

Psalm 23:3 (KJV)

“For whosoever shall call upon The Name of The Lord shall be saved.”

Romans 10:13(KJV)

“But you also are from Him in Yeshua The Messiah, He who has become for us The Wisdom of God and The Righteousness and The Holiness and The Redemption.”

1 Corinthians 1:30 (Aramaic Bible in Plain English)

JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU, THE LORD RIGHTEOUSNESS

     All, if not most, in the scientific community, will tell you they do not know everything there is to know about our universe and its beginnings, or its size. What I can tell you is that some say science proves God's existence. While others are attempting to disprove God's existence. Some even look for the beginning of God, what is referred to as 'the God particle'. This is impossible to declare for God is God. John 1:1-3, 14 “In the beginning was The Word, and The Word was with God, and The Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. … And The Word was made flesh, and lived among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of The Father,) full of grace and truth.”

     See, in order to discover the beginning of anything, you have to acknowledge not only that God exists, but that He is Creator. Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” The following verses tell you what God created, who named what He created and how what He created fell into disarray. For the world as we know it is not the world that God had in mind, when He created it.

     Rules were put into place by God to follow and obey, that our lives would be pain-free, death-free, sickness-free, chaos-free, crime-free, destruction-free. But all of those possibilities ended when sin, disobedience to God's rules, entered this world through Eve's and Adam's deliberate disobedience when they ate the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. The woman's punishment, curse, was to bear and raise children with sorrow. No longer was she her own woman, now she belonged to her husband; he would be responsible for her. The man's punishment, curse, was to work hard all the days of his life; the ground would be cursed because of his actions. He would eat what he could grow; he would die and be buried in the earth, because that is what he is made of. Animals died because of their sin, and the skins of these animals were placed on them to cover their nakedness.

     There is no 'fountain of life' or 'spring or eternal youth'; there is only sickness, aging, death. In this life, there is no hope of ever getting away from any thing. But if you go back a few verses in chapter 3, you will see that God promised a way out of all that had occurred through their actions. Genesis 3:14, 15 “And The Lord God said unto the serpent (which had tempted Eve), Because you have done this, you are cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon your belly you shall go, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life: And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; it (her seed) shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” One day we would have power over temptation and sin. Though the serpent, the devil, would tempt us, we would overcome him and rule over sin.

     I am here to tell you, that day has come. It came in Matthew through Revelation. That day of overcoming sin and death, was given us when Jesus Christ, the only begotten of The Father, the only begotten Son, came into this world (John 1:14); lived a sin-free life (John 1:29-34); caused miracles to happen wherein the sick were healed, the dead restored to life, the blind could see, the lame could walk, the deaf could hear and the mute could speak (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John); was beaten beyond recognition and died on a cross (Isaiah 42, 43:6-12; 53, Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, John 19); rose from the grave and ascended into heaven after several people had seen Him (Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20 and 21, Acts 2:21:36).

     “This is the day that The Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24. “For He says, I have heard you in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I helped you: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2. “Thus says The Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard you, and in a day of salvation have I helped you: and I will preserve you, and give you for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; That you may say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for He that has mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall He guide them. And I will make all My mountains a way, and My high ways shall be exalted. Behold (Look here now!), these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.” Isaiah 49:7-12.

     The acceptable time. The day of salvation. This day is preferred above all other days to those who believe that Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, The Father, died on the cross and rose from the grave, making a way through His blood shed on the cross, for us to be in God's presence; holding the keys of hell and death, He walked out of the grave, when His Father rolled the stone away. Perhaps God shoved the stone forcefully. I would have, had my son been in that tomb and needed to be released. What parent wouldn't aid their child, when that child needed them so?

     My day of salvation came when I was 34. Though I was raised in church, and loved Sunday School, I did not fully believe until I was in a place where I had to seek God. That day is forever etched in God's Book of The Lamb, for that is my spiritual birthday. Surrounded by vague memories of events of the day, I do not remember the exact date, but I do remember how old I was. Now, twenty years later, here I am telling you that today could be your spiritual birthday. If you have not already believed on The Name of The Lord Jesus Christ for the salvation of your soul, this is the day. This is the time.

The Lord Is my Shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures:

He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul:

He leads me in the Paths of Righteousness for His Name's sake.

Psalm 23:1-3

Psalm 55:22 reads "Cast your burden upon The Lord, and He shall sustain you: He shall never suffer you to be moved." When we apply The Word of God to ourselves, this verse would say, 

I have cast my burden upon The Lord, He sustains me:

He will never suffer (allow) me to be moved.

I repented of my sinful ways and turned my back on them. With my back turned to sin, my face is now facing God's direction. My burden, my load of baggage which I carried around within my heart and my mind, I laid at the foot of the cross, and left it there, where God forgave me of these sins and threw them into The Sea of Forgetfulness, never again remembering these sins that had been against me. The only one who will remind you of your past is Satan, and he will use it against you to bring you down. But your face, my face, needs to be focused on God's face. Never should we take our eyes off of God's Word, God's Voice needs to be in our ears, our hearts, our thoughts. Constantly and consistently, we need to be watchful in prayer, alert in His Word and alive in His Love; daily loving each person, whether we are loved in return or not, with our actions, our words, our heart; our heart should mirror God's heart. For God loves everyone and His heart is to see each one accept the salvation He has given through His Son Jesus Christ.

This is the Paths of Righteousness: The Way, The Truth and The Life: Jesus Christ The Messiah of Israel and all the world beyond her borders. He Is The Word of God In The Flesh. Our Holy Bible is The Word of God In Print. Your Bible is not just a book of stories, it is Holy and Alive. Just reading your Bible is not enough. As a sip of water will not quench your thirst, neither will just reading The Bible save your soul.

As a bite of bread will not satisfy your hunger, neither will just studying The Bible save your soul.

You must believe that Jesus Christ Is Lord. That His Name Is Salvation. Romans 10:13 "Whosoever shall call upon The Name of The Lord shall be saved." What is The Lord's Name? Matthew 1:21 "And she shall bring forth a son, and you shall call His Name JE'SUS: for He shall save His people from their sins." His Name Is EMMAN'UEL. Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore The Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His Name Imman'uel."

 (different spellings, different areas of time) 

A name which means "God Is With Us". 

Emmanuel, God With Us by Mercy Me

You Are What You Eat-I Shall Not Lack

You Are What You Eat-”I Shall Not Lack”

     Our government is so concerned with our health they have made certain foods illegal, condoned vitamins and hormones in animals, and established not only what we should eat but how much or how little.

Now, while what we eat does have an effect on our health, we should have the liberty to choose what we eat, when we eat it and why we eat it. While some of the laws we live under regarding food have been beneficial to us, it is our decision what we eat, when we eat it and why.

     But what about our spiritual health? Can any government regulate that? Some try. But the more a government pushes itself against God's Word, the greater the increase in the harvest of souls who are won for Jesus Christ.

     Suffering the afflictions of living and sharing the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ is a right even many Christians do not understand. In this country, having the comforts of life has made us fat, lazy and unable to live with pain and suffering for very long. We go looking for cures where there are none. The medical profession can only do so much; healing is God's territory.

     Psalm 34:8 “Taste and see that The Lord Is Good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” Our souls have taste buds. For once we begin to seek The Lord earnestly, He will make His presence known to us. God is everywhere at the same time, hence the word 'omnipresent'. But not every one has contact with Him. The only way to reach God is through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the doorway to heaven.

     For the first time in years, I walked into church without my cane. Truly, I can say, “Look what The Lord has done. Look what my Lord has done for me!” If I had not sought Him, I would not have found Him. Though we have been in each other's company all this time, throughout my trials and tribulations, the healing did not come in a thunderclap, but in the constant drip, drip, drip of a gentle summer dew. Though I am not fully healed, cause I seriously wobbled and needed help, it was wonderful to be able to walk with out it.

Indoors I have stayed close to furniture and walls; around people I have used their forearm for assistance.       To say the pain has decreased would be lying; I have learned to adapt and submit to my limitations. But, also, I have surrendered to God every part of my being. I pray over every cell, every neutron, every joint, muscle, tendon and ligament; every organ, every tissue. Every particle of my being have I not only prayed over and for, I have thanked God for, too.

I am blessed.

I am blessed.

Every day of my life I am blessed.

When I wake up in the morning,

When I lay my head to rest.

I am blessed, I am blessed.

     Remember that chorus? I sing it often. Singing God's praises, studying God's Word, and living in Jesus all honor God. Witnessing, telling people about God's amazing grace through His Son Jesus Christ, also honors God. If you don't know what you are talking about, when you talk about grace, then you are better off not talking at all. To know God you must know Jesus first. To know Jesus, you must be obedient to the voice, the nudge, the inclination to come near, of The Holy Spirit of God.

     “God inhabits the praises of His people.” This verse is found in Psalm 22:3 and reminds us, too, that God is holy. Where a holy God is, God's people must be holy also. Holiness is a process that refines us, makes us able to be in God's presence, stay in God's presence. And this process requires the daily instruction and buffering of The Holy Spirit in our hearts, our minds, our lives.

     Jeremiah 17:14, “Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved.” I am saved from eternal damnation, an eternity without God and without grace, through the blood of Jesus Christ, heaven's Lamb of God. Before Christ died for the sins of the world, young lambs were used to atone for the sins of God's people. Each family, household, had to provide the lamb themselves and bring it to the priest for sacrifice. This was done yearly and the blood of the animal washed away their year's worth of sins. But once God sent His own Lamb, the animal sacrifice was no longer needed. For now, God had provided a young Lamb to die once and for all for all the sins ever committed, including past sins, present sins and sins not yet committed by people not yet born; people like you and me. For our sins also Christ suffered and died. And for our eternal hope, Christ rose from the dead, being our example not only in life, but in death and resurrection!

     I am blessed because I trust in God. I am blessed because I taste God's Word daily. I am blessed because God inhabits my praises; for He made me His people when I believe on the Name of His Son for my salvation. I am blessed because God is healing me. I had all kinds of health issues prior to these statements of faith and joy.

     While I was grieving the loss of a child, I started getting memory lapses. I would forget how to walk, climb stairs, stand up and even fasten my clothes. (My wonderful husband whom God brought into my life helped me with everything.) And because my brain couldn't remember these things I started to fall, thus I needed not only the cane, but eventually, the use of a walker and for long distances, a wheelchair.

Prior to that I was diagnosed with GERD and on medication. During that period I was diagnosed emotionally as depressed and crazy. Crazy because I would share my beliefs with the doctors. So I was put on medication(s); first one, then another. Too many doctors with not enough information. And I have been diagnosed with Fm, Fibromyalgia, which means every fiber of my being is in pain. So, I am on medications for that. I have osteoarthritis, which also added two more medications to my diet. But God is faithful. His Names are many and one of His Names is JEHOVAH-ROHI: GOD IS HEALER.

     See, studying God's Word draws a person closer to God and draws God closer to you. Or me, in this case. I am one of the faithful, one of the believers, one of the sheep in God's flock. God meets my daily needs and for this I am thankful. Psalm 23:1 “The Lord Is My Shepherd; I shall not lack.” This testimony is mine and my husband's.

     There was a year when he was laid off for nine months of it. I was not working due to all these physical issues, so I had no income either. GOD MET OUR NEED. WE HAD NO LACK. All of our bills were paid on time every month, even the mortgage. We had food on the table and never went hungry. Even the dog was fed daily. That's God. We had clothes on our back and the means to wash them. You know why? God says to tithe into the storehouse, His storehouse, that in times of famine, which we had a famine of income, the needs would be met for those who tithed. We tithe into our church. God says tithing is not negotiable, but mandatory.

     I have been told by many that they cannot afford to tithe of their income. I tell you now, YOU CANNOT AFFORD NOT TO TITHE. When you tithe of your income, no matter how small it may be, or how much you think you are giving to your church, let me tell you: You are OBEYING GOD'S WORD, when you tithe into HIS STOREHOUSE. While the tithe is of a physical nature, the storehouse is of a spiritual nature. Tithing is not supposed to make the church richer in wealth. The church needs your tithes to stay up and running. The tithe pays your pastor's salary, pays the utility bills for running water, electricity for the lighting, and heat so that you aren't cold and the pipes don't freeze. To deny your church your tithe, is to steal not only from your church, but you are stealing from God and you have disobeyed His command. To not tithe is to sin.

     God meets our household's needs because He is our God. We have chosen Him to be our God and our Savior, our Healer and our Deliverer. Were my husband and I to read the verse together, it would be like this, “The Lord is OUR Shepherd; WE shall not want.” We are in this life together because God brought us together for His purposes. And it is for God's purpose that we will continue to honor and adore Him. Everything does happen for a reason; but those reasons are God's reasons, not of our own.

The Lord Is My Shepherd; I shall not lack.” Ever.    

My Shepherd

The Lord Is My Shepherd – I Shall Not Want

Psalm 23:1

“The Lord Is my Shepherd; I shall not want.”

JEHOVAH-ROHI, GOD IS SHEPHERD. Genesis 49:24 “.....The Shepherd, The Stone of Israel.” And what does a Shepherd do? He tends the flock: Psalm 100:3 “Know that The Lord He Is God: it is He that has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.”

Now, there are two types of shepherds: The Good Shepherd and the bad shepherd. The second is not really a shepherd at all, for he has a heart of stone and the tongue of a snake: he has come to the flock to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10, 1 Peter 5:8): the masked shepherd is a thief, a murderer and a liar. He listens to his father the devil and infiltrates houses of worship where the worshipers themselves are his target.

The Good Shepherd watches over His flock, tending their needs. “I shall not want” Genesis 22:13-14 tells of Abraham looking up and seeing the ram, whereupon he sacrificed the ram to His God, instead of his son. “And Abraham called the name of that place JEHOVAH-JIREH: as it is said to this day, In the mount of The Lord it shall be seen.” JEHOVAH-JIREH, GOD IS PROVIDER. In 1 John 4:9,10 we are reminded yet again of the great love which God has for us. “In this was manifested (revealed) the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation (atonement, redemption) for our sins. God provided a Lamb to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29).

Philippians 4:19, a well known, much loved verse among God's people states: “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Paul was writing this letter to the church in Philippi, thanking them for the sacrifices of giving to his needs. And that He was reminding them how that God rewards the sacrifices made by His people when we take care of one another' needs ahead of our own. Where there is a need among God's people, God supplies.

You ever watch any of those survival shows? They watch out for themselves first and no one else. Their houses are modified barricades. Their food supplies, water and weapons are for defense and offense, but not sharing. That is not how God's people are supposed to behave or live in this world. We are to treat each other with honor and respect; with love and for the love of God. When we have Christ and The Holy Spirit living in us ( for, as you remember, we are God's temple now), we are filled and refilled with the love of God daily, as we study and pray and worship. God's people take care of each other knowing that God is meeting our needs. Sometimes God even meets our wants, our desires; after all, 'Father knows best'.

Acts 4:32, 34-35 “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. .. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.” Why? Was this some kind of cult thing? No. Jesus had just recently returned to His heavenly home, where they knew He was preparing places for them all and any who believed in Him.

John 14:1-3 “Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” Jesus is coming back to get His people, as soon as the places which He has prepared for us are ready. Those who have died waiting for His return, will not be left behind. Their souls are already in heaven; only their bodies, their empty shells, are buried. Soon, we will all see His return and behold His face. Oh what a glorious day awaits us who wait for Him!

TheLordIsMyShepherd

How many shepherds would sacrifice their lives for that of their sheep? After all, it's just a dumb ole sheep. How much value can you place on a sheep that won't mind it's own business and keeps getting caught or lost or lured away? While some may say 'stupid is as stupid does', The Good Shepherd knows that without His sacrifice all of the flock will die. There is more value in the return of the lost sheep than there is in the loss of any of the sheep at all.

In the story of The Prodigal Son, he had to get himself into a horrible situation before he decided to return home to his dad. When I pray for my unsaved family members and friends, I also pray for the salvation of strangers and enemies. And I ask God, “Whatever it takes, save our sons, our daughters, our sisters, our brothers; our fathers, our mothers; our strangers and our enemies. Whatever it takes, Lord, save them.” So, knowing how strong my relationship with God is, I know that 'whatever it takes' is going to have an effect on not only your life, but mine. Life may get harder to live, as it did for the young man who left home and did not return until he woke up in pig slop one day and decided it would be better for him to return to his father and indenture himself.

But when he turned his back on where he had been, and set his feet in the direction of his father's house, it was not servant-hood that awaited him. His father had been watching daily for the young man's return; until one day he saw his son from a distance and ran to meet him. Covering the son with hugs and kisses, as the young man repented of his sins, the father called for the best clothing to be laid upon him, the family signet placed on his hand, and proper shoes on his feet. A fat calf was prepared to celebrate the young adult's return; a party was thrown in his honor. Not because he had wasted his life and done contrary to what his father had planned for him, but because he had thrown off that life in disgust and humbled his heart, set his feet in the right direction and stayed on course till he was near home, whereupon his father, as previously stated, covered him with love and happiness.

In John 10:11, Jesus tells us that He is The Good Shepherd. “I am The Good Shepherd: The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” Which He repeats in vs 14: “I am The Good Shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine (known by them).” When reading John 10, you will discover that this whole chapter is about The Shepherd. He tells us that His sheep know His voice and listen to Him only. The reason not all people listen and follow Jesus is because they are not His sheep, not of His flock. Because we are people, not sheep, the only way we can be of Jesus' flock is to believe that Jesus Christ is who He says He is. Vs 7-9 in John 10: Then said Jesus unto them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am The Door of the sheep. All that ever came before Me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am The Door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

The Lord is my Shepherd.

To criticize and belittle the shepherd is to not know anything about the shepherd's job. Oftentimes, the youngest of the household was sent out to assist and learn from the hired hand tending the flock; whereupon he would eventually take over the care of them himself. Though young, the boy would quickly learn to guard the flock from predators. Lead them near water to drink, but not into water, where they would drown.

Guide them over the rocky mountainous areas searching for food. If the lowlands were inhabited, the people living there were either in towns or farming communities, rendering the lands around them fields of grains and produce. This sent the flocks formerly feeding there into the mountains and high hills to feed off those lands there. But up in these areas lives another type of animal: the predator. Wolves, bears, eagles, and mountain lions. While thieves would occasionally steal away one or more sheep, sometimes whole flocks, they themselves did not live in the mountains. Where would they hide that the shepherd could not find them out?

But to guard the flock from the predators, the shepherd would have to be wise in the ways of the wild and able to fend off they who would kill, steal, and destroy his flock. I think he may have power-napped his way across the mountainous areas, tending and guarding his sheep. If the shepherd worked alone, he could have taken care of a small flock of sheep and gotten enough sleep to be watchful. But in bigger flocks, there would have been more than one sheepherder; many watchers, but only one head sheepmaster. The larger the flock, the more shepherds are needed to keep the sheep in good condition until market time, allowing each to take watches day and night, thereby giving the others the opportunity to get some really good rest.

Were the shepherd to sleep when he should have been watching over the flock, that would be the ideal time for any predator to make their move and steal away with one or more sheep or small lambs. The good shepherd put his sheep first. The bad shepherd put himself first. The good shepherd defends the flock. The bad shepherd leaves the flock to fend for itself. The good shepherd knows his stuff and what to do in times of danger. The bad shepherd knows nothing and in times of danger looks away or runs away, leaving the flock to be ravaged by either predators or nature itself.

To be considered a good shepherd, one who could keep the flock intact, secure, groomed and sheared, fed and watered, rescued and nurtured, that shepherd would need to meet major requirements. Willingness to serve instead of be served. As stated before, it would be the youngest of a household who would be sent out to learn the trade. Sometimes the child of a wealthy family would be sent, as in David's case. Remember your Bible stories? He was in the fields tending sheep most of his young life, before he was anointed by Samuel to be king; before he brought supplies to this brothers who were at war with the Philistines; before he fought and defeated Goliath, a giant of a man who was the champion of the Philistines; before he became King of Israel. Before anything he did after that time, David was a sheepherder, a good shepherd.

Using only a slingshot and his bare hands, perhaps he even had a small blade, he was able to ward off bears and lions who attacked his flock, and overcome the predators by himself. Therefore a good shepherd needs courage, wisdom, strength, might. He needs to think on his feet and be able to act quickly, while his body is in motion. The good shepherd needs compassion to be able to guard his flock from dangers. His heart must be in his work, for his work is his life. Without the sheep to care for, the shepherd has no way of life; but he must be able to love his work.

Sheepherders also use staffs, sturdy walking sticks, to help them climb the mountains. This tool could also be used as a weapon. And if the top of it were crooked, like a candy cane, then the staff would become a tool for rescue and comfort when dealing with the flock. The curved part of the staff would be gently lowered across the sheep's neck, or around its leg, and used to draw it back to the flock, a place of safety. Used as a weapon, the heavy rod would come smashing down on any would-be sheep stealers. 

The rod the shepherd uses would have been made from a young tree, a small sapling, the base of the tree being the head of the rod. It is a weapon shaped like a baseball bat, but used to fight off wolves and such. With the strength of one defending that which he loves, the shepherd could have struck with enough force to kill the enemy with one blow. That's how sturdy the rod is. It was used only for protection, to protect the sheep in his flock, not harm them. 

A shepherd's hands must be strong and gentle. Strong enough to break a lion's neck and gentle enough to calm and soothe the scared sheep. Tender enough to be able to tend their wounds, if any had been inflicted. Hands gentle enough to remove burrs from their wool and keep them healthy. His hands needed to be able to help, if needed, bring new lambs into the flock. He needed to have steady hands to shear the heavy wool off his sheep, which grew thicker with each shearing. The sheep who was gently sheared would have no cuts or scrapes from the trimming on their body. Their wool would be removed efficiently and carefully, but also quickly. The sheep being sheared would need to be impelled to lay still, perhaps by hindering the legs from moving. Though shearing can be done by one person, it usually requires at least two. And both need to have steady and gentle hands.  

The good shepherd would need to be able to speak to his sheep, get them used to his voice, so they would not run away as he approached. Sheep really are not as dumb as most sources would have people believe they are. Though they do have what is referred to as a 'herd mentality', sheep are known to be clever and retain memory. They know not only the voice of their shepherd, they know his face. For the shepherd spends many hours, both day and night, with his sheep. They become accustomed to their shepherd and will not willingly or knowingly follow another shepherd.

Because the good shepherd is willing to fight for his sheep, it must be inferred that he is willing to die for his sheep, too. For should even the best shepherd lose the fight against the perpetrator who attacks his sheep, then the sheep would be lost, too. But the good shepherd, knowing this, is prepared to fight anyway. Our Good Shepherd had a plan when He laid down His life for His sheep. Actually, His Father had a plan. And it was not a backup plan, it was the real deal.

Going back to John 10, we read in verse 18: “No man takes it (life) from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father.” God had commanded His only begotten Son to lay down His life for His people AND to take His life back after He had laid it down. Being an obedient Son to His Father's commands, Jesus suffered Himself to be nailed to the cross, to die a horrible torturous death in our place, knowing in the back of his mind, even while His body was racked with pain, that He was being obedient to His Father. And that His obedience was essential in having God's will for His life fulfilled.

God says that obedience is better than sacrifice. Jesus in His obedience became the sacrifice for the sins of the world; ALL the sins ever committed by every person who ever lived. All these sins were laid across his back, one stripe at a time. With each crack of the whip, The Good Shepherd's back was torn to smithereens, the wounds going so deep, the muscles and deep tissue were exposed, causing His back to wrack with pain. The Good Shepherd laid down His life for His sheep.

Only to take it back up again after He defeated death, hell and the grave. For it was to hell He had been sent, having the sins of all laid upon Him. And it was hell Christ overcame, for He walked out holding the key to it in His hand. He overcame death by taking back His life. He overcame the grave by having the stone rolled away and walking out of it, pure and perfect. Unrecognizable for a brief moment by those who saw Him after He rose from the dead, it was when He spoke that they knew this was their Shepherd, this was Jesus.

Do you know this Shepherd's voice? I do. I am of His flock, for I believe that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God and that He died in my place; that He rose from the dead and is preparing a place for me in His Father's house. I believe that God's Holy Spirit, The Good Shepherd's assistant, is helping me share this message and many others, with boldness and wisdom; with fearlessness and compassion. I know that God is real, time is short and I must be about my Father's business, too.

TheLordIsMyShepherd, JEHOVAH-ROHI, that is His Name. And He truly IS my Shepherd.  Choose Jesus to be your Shepherd, too. Repent and be baptized today, for the kingdom of God is near.