OUR SHEPHERD, MY SHEPHERD

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me

Lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside

Quiet waters, He restores my soul. Psalm 23:1-2 NIV.

Psalm 23 is a very popular psalm written by the psalmist David when he was king over Israel. He had lived through several years of being hunted by King Saul and his army. King Saul for several years had done everything possible to capture and murder David. Even after years of being chased, having to leave his beloved wife Abigail, living in caves, having opportunities to kill Saul and not; he wrote this psalm of assurance about his God.

Charles Swindoll in his study of the Psalm 23 is so revealing it causes us to view our relationship with The Shepherd in a more poignant, more alive, more loving relationship. Through these insights it is my hope it draws you closer to Jesus Christ, our Shepherd and God. God, the One who loved us immeasurably and with such an intensity He came as a babe named Jesus to live amongst us, be beat and whipped, suffer an agonizing death on the cross, and overcome death all so we could have a relationship with Him. 

To my amazement, sheep have no sense of direction, they can get lost in the familiarity of their own territory. All of us either have this same condition or know someone who does. There isn't a one of us who hasn’t been physically lost at some point in our lives. Spiritually, Romans 3:23 tells us “all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God” thereby being lost. In the same manner the shepherd of old would leave his flock and search out the one lost sheep our Shepherd searches us out and leads us back to the flock.

Sheep have no defenses except the shepherd who protects him. Other animals have growls, claws, sharp teeth, a keen sense of smell, an acute sense of hearing, speed, venom, and an acute ferocity to protect themselves. Spiritually, like the sheep, we are completely defenseless against The Enemy. Psalm 23:4b, Amplified Version, says it best: “Your rod (to protect) and Your staff (to guide), they comfort and console me.” Online, Quora tells us the rod was a “short, stout rod” carried on the shepherd’s belt for the purpose of killing any predators endangering their flock. Shepherds were held accountable for any injured or animal killed by predators. The staff or crooked “shepherd’s staff”  mentioned was an instrument used to grab a straying sheep and guide it in the direction the shepherd wanted it to go. Likewise, Our Shepherd uses His Word as a staff to guide us and His Holy Spirit as a rod to protect us.

Sheep are unclean animals. They will remain dirty until cleaned by the shepherd. Likewise, we are unclean until Jesus Christ cleanses us. In David’s time, a sacrifice was the only method ones could have their sins atoned. Our Shepherd, Jesus Christ, sacrificed Himself so our sins could be “washed away” by forgiveness and repentance. 

One of the most interesting revelations by Charles came through the writings of Charles W. Slemming pertaining to shepherds of the Middle East during David’s lifetime. When moving to a new field the shepherd would pour  oil over the head of every sheep thereby making it impossible for an adder (a poisonous snake) to bite and have its venom kill the sheep.  The oil our Shepherd pours over our head heals our body, our mind, our spirit, and our soul.

Throughout this psalm David is telling each one of us that God through His Son, Jesus Christ,  our Shepherd, “we shall not be in want”. There will be no want of food, no want of clothes, no want of shelter. How can I so boldly say this? Because when I keep my eyes on God, my Shepherd, if I have faith the size of a mustard seed, the tiniest seed, “I can tell a mountain to move from here to there. Nothing is impossible (Matthew 17:20 and 21). I have had my mountains and my Shepherd has provided for me.

Come, let Jesus Christ heal your mind, your body, your spirit, and your soul. Then, like David, you will be able to say: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want.”

WRONG PERSPECTIVES

Hi there!! It's been a long time, a very long time!! Its been 2 months and 10 days to be exact and there may not be anyone out there that's interested anymore. However, I'm going to write this with the same perspective as when I wrote and posted the first one--this is dedicated to God's glory and He will bring the people who He wants to hear it.
My Aunt Bernice was a missionary in India for thirty-five years. Until late adolescence or my early teens she would come home every four years on furlough. To me, she was larger than life itself. She was the absolute personification of a disciple of Jesus Christ in the modern world. She has always been my superhero, the ideal follower of Christ. To me, she had a "special" calling just as all missionaries, pastors, evangelists have a "special" calling on their lives. Somewhere during my youth the notion was embedded in my mind these people received a "SPECIAL" calling like ones used to receive a SPECIAL DELIVERY letter in the mail. SPECIAL DELIVERY letters were not received by everybody and usually only for very specific reasons. Even when my daughters informed me Jesus called them to teach young children and their families about Christ; to me, they received a "special" calling. Rightly so, these callings are "special" because they have discovered God's purpose for their lives. Where my perspective was wrong was in thinking this only happened to a "select" few people. In truth, God has a "special" purpose for EVERY person's life.
Now don't go getting the wrong perspective!! God's "special" purpose for each of us is not salvation. Although, He DEFINITELY desires that for every person. You see, it's after we have accepted the salvation Jesus Christ offers that we each receive our "special" calling. God has a purpose, a "special" calling for each one of us. It's not something we can do alone; only with Him equipping us can we accomplish this calling.  As Tony Evans (pastor, author, evangelist)  points out, your purpose or "special" calling is going to have four characteristics: 1) it will require risk; 2) it will require focus; 3) it will require boldness; and, 4) it will require faith. It is "special" because you are representing the One True God. What is your purpose, your "special" calling? You have one and God will reveal it to you; all you have to do is ask!!

"COME TO ME...."

After the angels appeared to the shepherds, the babe in the manger touched their hearts to "come to me". To the Wise Men, the babe in the cradle touched their hearts to "come to me".  Even in this present day, the babe touches each of our hearts. As a man he says to us "Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28a,b; NIV).
He is still saying to you-you who has accepted you are lower than the shepherds; He says, "Come to me..." At the time Jesus was born there was no one considered lower than the shepherds. This had been their lot for years and they had come to accept it. But then one night, one night different from all others an angel came to them-them the outcasts, the ones considered too unclean to be welcome in God's temple and their hearts were changed forever.
You-you who has been provided with everything one could possibly want or desire but still has an emptiness in the very depth of your being, the Savior touches your heart and says, "Come to me..."
The Wise Men-ones who had everything provided for them, no wants, no needs--followed a star, a bright "light" and their hearts were changed forever.
You-you who is filled with such pain you don't think you can face another day-let the babe touch your heart as He says, "Come to me..." Come to the manger, look upon the One called Jesus, Savior, Immanuel, Most High God, Mighty One; let His heart speak to your heart and change it forever.
This Christmas Eve, let the babe speak to your heart, "Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest....take my yoke...learn from me..." Let him change your heart forever!!

WHAT IS CHRISTMAS TO YOU?

Since the middle of October there has been Christmas decorations in the stores. People started their Christmas shopping and Black Friday officially started the Christmas season. Cities across the world are having lighting ceremonies. Stores are having sales for that special Christmas gift. Little children live in great anticipation of Santa coming with that special gift they can't live without.  There are the Christmas parties, families traveling from afar to spend this special day together, Christmas caroling, and schools and churches having Christmas or holiday pageants. In September ones start counting down to this one day. But why?
What does this day, this time of year mean to you? What does this little babe wrapped in swaddling cloth represent to you? This little babe is not just a doll wrapped in a blanket, He is God, He is Savior. Seven hundred years before this baby was born a man predicted his birth. Isaiah is not just a book in the Bible but he was a human no different than you or I. Listen to what he said, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace..."
The One who created this universe, who knew you in your mother's womb before she even knew you were there, came to this earth as a "little babe in swaddling cloth". This babe will grow to be the man who bore your sins on a cross he was forced to carry to a place called Calvary; this Man suffered being whipped so by His stripes you are healed, this Man sacrificed Himself on this cross so you could have an everlasting relationship with God.
If you are celebrating the birth of your Savior this season, let it be a season of joy, a season you draw closer in your relationship to this little one called Jesus. If you don't know this little one, let me introduce you to him; this is Jesus. The Man who sacrificed himself as an atonement for your sins so you can have a relationship with God by believing this little babe is the Son of God. For "if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord', and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." Let this little babe be your "special gift" this Christmas for he is God's gift to you and I.
Come, celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, Son of God, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace...CELEBRATE!!!

LOVE ONE ANOTHER

 When asked by a Pharisee what is the greatest commandment, Jesus replied: LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND...AND THE SECOND IS LIKE IT: LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.  And yet we have hatred, we have strife,  we have dissension, we have hopelessness. Why? Is not the same God on His throne as has always been there? Has He abdicated? I write this not only for the American people but also for the people around the world who follow me on this site.
The same God who was on His throne last week, last month, last year is still on His throne today. He is the one who is in control. Amazingly, it is NOT Washington, DC or who is sitting there or will sit there as President, or as Senator, or as Representative, or as Judge. It is not the leader of France, or Germany, or Russia. It is not the leader in your country.  It is God. The God who created us, the God who so wanted a relationship with us He gave His only begotten Son as a sacrifice for OUR sins, the same God who cries out to you "Come" cries out to you "Love your neighbors as yourself".
No matter what nation you live in, we all must remember it is God who sets up kings and deposes kings. The One who changes time and controls the seasons, who determines whether it will rain or snow is Sovereign over ALL. Stop your protesting!! Stop your killing!!! LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.

IT'S SO SIMPLE YET SO HARD

We humans take the simplest thing and make it difficult!! Lately, I've been reading Scripture from THE MESSAGE by Eugene H. Peterson. I'm reading Romans. Listen to this excerpt from Romans 2:

This makes it clear, doesn't it, that whatever is written in these Scriptures is not what God says about others but to us to whom these Scriptures were addressed in the first place! And it's clear enough, isn't it, that we're sinners, every one of us, in the same sinking boat with everybody else? Our involvement with God's revelation doesn't put us right with God. What it does is force us face our complicity in everyone else's sin.
But in our time something new has been added.  What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us.  And not only for us but for everyone who believes in him.  For there is no difference between us and them in this.  Since we've compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us.  Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ.
God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin. Having faith in him sets us in the clear.  God decided on this course of action in full view of the public-to set the world in the clear with himself through the sacrifice of Jesus, finally taking care of the sins he had so patiently endured. This is not only clear, but it's NOW-this is current history! God sets things right.  He also makes it possible for us to live in his rightness."

What more is there to say? Jesus came to make things right between you and God. Sin is sin. One sin is NOT greater than the other. Bottom line: God wants a relationship with YOU!! How do you get a relationship with Him? The same way you get to know anyone else. You talk with Him. Tell Him what is in your heart. He loves you and wants to hear from you!!

ARE WE FOCUSING ON THE WRONG WINDOW?

This week-end I visited relatives close to me in Florida. Due to hurricanes they have hurricane shutters on their house to protect their windows. The first night I was taken into the bedroom I'd be staying in for the next two nights. The room has two windows; one where the hurricane shutter is only opened enough for air to come in the window when opened, the second is on the back of the house and opens out onto the lanai. Behind the lanai was a fence and the backyard neighbor's house.
My cousin assured me no one could see in the side window. Since it was late and dark outside I felt reassured I could get in my nightgown unobserved by anyone. In the morning I again focused my attention to the side window thereby reassuring myself I could get dressed unseen. However, I never paid any attention to the back window until I was putting my bra on and looked up to see clearly the backyard fence and neighbor's sliding glass door neatly within my view.
Immediately I thought, "How many times is our focus on the wrong window? Spiritually, how many times is our focus on the wrong thing and not on God?" Psalm 16:8 is one of my favorite verses, "Keep your eyes always on the Lord; with the Lord at my right hand, I will not be shaken." These few words are the instructions for us to overcome any trial we may face during the span of our day. Paul tells us in Philippians that "we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us". So, friends, don't  focus on the wrong window but on Jesus Christ "the propitiation for our sins..." (1 John 2:2a)