Jesus - My Shepherd Final Part

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me, all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."                                           Psalm 23:6   NKJV 

In the past, goodness and mercy has been described as two sheep dogs, who follow us all the time, nipping at our ankles as we take a wrong turn. I can remember seeing this, as I sat waiting for sheep to be driven along a country lane. Some of the sheep, would try it on and stop or turn around and the sheep dog would nip their ankles to send them forward again. There has been several books written about this by Christian sheep farmers. It is a wonderful analogy and and an interesting read.

God's goodness and mercy (or unfailing love), does follow us all of our lives. Despite David's sin, goodness and mercy had continued to follow him and it is the same for us too. The New Testament equivalent of this verse is Romans 8:28, 'And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.' God is faithful and if we belong to Him, He will cause goodness and mercy to follow us all the days of our lives, until we enter God's House in Heaven; where we will then dwell forever (Eternally).

Therefore, we have a future enjoyment of the King in His House. What will it be like, we don't know but, we can be certain that it is wonderful. Verse six commences with the word, 'Surely', which means truly or with certainty. This is how true this statement is; He will follow us, He will bless us and He is so willing to heal and sustain us. However, when we ask this of Him, we must receive the answer in faith, without any doubt whatsoever. It will then be answered in His time, not ours.

As we come to the end of this study, let me leave you with a thought, David knew the Shepherd, He knew His God. Do you know the Psalm of the Shepherd or, the Shepherd of the Psalm? There is a major difference. As I have said, David knew the Shepherd that he wrote about, this is why he could say, without doubt, 'I will dwell in the House of the LORD, forever'. Can you say the same?

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Jesus - My Shepherd Part 4

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

Continuing in our study of Psalm 23, we arrive at verse 5. This can be split into two parts:

IN THE PRESENCE OF MY ENEMIES - Yahweh - Nissi  The LORD is my banner. Ezk 17:15

The table referred to here is not the furniture type of table. It refers to a 'Feast - Something spread out'. Flat places in hilly country were often called 'tables' by shepherds. They would often allow the sheep to roam freely about as they fed there and were rested prior to going into their fold. The wide open spaces could be difficult for the sheep and shepherd, because of their many enemies. The shepherd would therefore keep a close eye on them.

We too, have many enemies and often have to go into wide, open spaces throughout our day. However, when our Shepherd is with us, the enemy can't get to us easily. Therefore, we can get on with our lives as we feast at the 'table' in the presence of our enemies.

ANOINT MY HEAD - Yahweh - M'Qadash - The LORD who sanctifies us  Leviticus 20:8

When the sheep are feeding at the 'table', it is possible that they may eat a poisonous plant or become injured in some way. They may even become dehydrated. The shepherd would have a large jug of water to meet their thirst and oil to heal their wounds. As they returned to their folds, he would inspect each one of them, placing oil on their wounds and generally rubbing oil over their head and horns to prevent infection from flies and other insects. 

God's provision never runs dry; it didn't for David and it won't for you either. You will have enemies and you will tread on difficult ground but, your Shepherd will be with you every inch of the way. He will anoint you with oil and His cup will run over because, He will give you more than enough to live with - a superabundance - John 10:10. At times, you may not realise it but, His banner is over you and He has sanctified you as well. Feast at His 'table' with joy - the strength to get you through each and every situation. You are anointed and loved.

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Jesus - My Shepherd. Part 3

 "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For You are with me; your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."   Psalm 23:4    NKJV

YOU ARE WITH ME  -  Yahweh Shammah - The LORD is there  Ezekiel 48:35

What a comfort to know, without doubt, that Jesus our Shepherd is here with us, wherever we go. There really is no need to be afraid of anything, He is with us.

David changes his writing style at this point, making it personal. He is no longer speaking about the Shepherd but, to Him. God is not before him now, but beside him, things have changed. The Shepherd is still leading the way, but with a caring and calming manner owing to the delicacy of the surroundings - the dark valley.

The valley of the shadow of death represents any difficult situation, including death. Sheep are so easily scared in new or strange surroundings, especially when it is dark. The presence of the Shepherd has a calming affect on them. David is using his shepherding skills as a analogy to explain and reinforce the meaning.

We all go through very dark periods from time to time. Loss is probably the most stressful of all. When death comes along and claims one of our loved ones, words cannot be found to explain the grief we are suffering. There are many stages to navigate during this period and none of them are easy. But, notice that our Shepherd adjusts to our feelings; instead of being in front of us, leading the way, He chooses to walk beside us bringing a calming affect and offering support every step of the way. Yahweh Shammah joins us in the dark valley and brings light to the shadow of darkness.

You may be going through a terrible loss at this time. With the loss come many changes and they are difficult to negotiate. What was there originally, is no longer, just a deep void and, no matter what we do, it cannot be changed. Things can therefore, be scary and there may seem no point in anything. Just remember, Yahweh Shammah is with you, in fact, right beside you and He will take your hand through this storm and things will be calm again in time.

Don't try to get ahead of Him, He is where you need Him to be, at your side.

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Jesus - My Shepherd. Part 2

"He makes me to lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul, He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake"   

                                                                                      Psalm 23:2-3    NKJV

Let us carry on with our study of this Psalm. These two verses can be split into three parts:

STILL WATERS  Yahweh - Shalom - The LORD is peace. Judges 6:24

We all need to be refreshed from time to time; the going can be tough. Remember, you cannot drive sheep, the sheep follow their shepherd. In this context, it makes no sense to attempt to get in front of Jesus. He is leading you, not the other way round. To try it any other way is a recipe for disaster. You need to follow your Shepherd and listen to His voice, He will then lead you to peace beside the still waters.

RESTORES MY SOUL  Yahweh Rapha - The LORD who heals. Exodus 15:26

God loves you and wants you to glorify Him (For His name's sake). He wants to maintain His own good reputation as a faithful Shepherd. Jesus wants to bring healing and peace to your mind and body. He wants your soul - Mind, Will and Emotions, to be aligned with His wishes. When they are, the restoring begins. He never lies, never could, never has, never will.

PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS Yahweh Tsidqenu The LORD our Righteousness - Jer 33:16

It is so good to take peaceful walks because you can begin to wind-down. It is so soothing to take this stroll along a peaceful, still river, listening to the water lapping against the banks. It's also a bonus to observe the wildlife that are drawn to this environment and take in the fragrance of the wild flowers. It is an ideal place to relax with a book or bible and allow yourself to be built up again. You may need the peace that only our Shepherd can bring; you may also require the healing of your mind.

When did you last do this? Have you ever done it? It is much easier if you live in the countryside, but if not, there are parks and other open spaces that may suffice and provide this much needed respite.

Probably, you may have been attempting to get in front of your leader - Jesus the Shepherd. You may be a leader but, you could never lead the way Jesus does. He knows the ultimate way; the true way. Perhaps he is speaking to you about this now; do you recognise His voice?

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Jesus - My Shepherd. Part 1

"The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want"             Psalm 23:1    NKJV

This verse can be split into two parts as follows:

SHEPHERD

Here David writes that, 'The LORD (Yahweh) is my Shepherd'. Note the emphasis on the word 'is.' It's a small word with a big meaning. The New King James Bible puts this as italicised to give this emphasis so that it reads in a more personal, and therefore, powerful way - 'The LORD is my Shepherd. There is no doubt when we declare it this way. It reads and sounds more meaningful than the more generalised 'is'. It is telling our listening world and ourselves also, that we have a Shepherd; He is ours and His name is Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

I SHALL NOT WANT

This phrase means - Yahweh - Yireh, 'The LORD will provide' Genesis 22:14. It can also be described as 'The LORD will see to it.' I tend to like this. In Genesis 22, we see Abraham willing to sacrifice his son, Issac. As he climbs Mount Moriah to perform this sacrifice for the Lord, God tells him to stop; he has proven his faith and commitment to the Lord and God provides a ram which has been caught in a thicket, for the sacrifice. God tested Abraham's faith and dedication and it was rock-solid. Therefore, He provided an alternative.

Jesus is our Shepherd and He will provide all we need and more (John 10:10b & Ephesians 3:20). A Shepherd guides, loves, directs and provides for his sheep. We are the sheep of Jesus' pasture; He will be there for us 24/7. He knows all of our needs and all of our cares too. He is adequate for every need we will ever have.

We may stray away from this pasture and He will come looking for us. He won't interfere however, as we have our own will. But if we call to Him for help, He is guaranteed to help and rescue us from all danger and trouble.

Do you need rescuing at the moment? Is there something on your mind that you cannot settle or provide an answer for? He is interested in helping you, He will listen with patience and love because, He is the true Shepherd; and He cares more than you could ever realise.

Speak to Him, now.

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God has put a fighter in you

"I have the fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."   

                                                                                           2 Timothy 4:7   CSB 

The Christian life is not a timid lifestyle, it is an ongoing battle and we need to be constantly on guard if, we are going to be successful in finishing the race. Paul called it a race, which it actually is - two kingdoms at war against each other, the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness. As Christians, we are up against the power of the devil and his demons. They will do all they can to prevent us completing this race and claiming the prize - Heaven.

The race can be better described as a battle and we have to fight. The word 'fight' in this context is not one of violence, God is not like that. The fight we are involved in is spiritual and the The Open Dictionary.com says, 'To strive vigorously and resolutely, as in trying to overcome something - to contend with. The 'something' here, is our enemy Satan who will oppose us every inch of the way. 

But God has put a fighter in you! When all of this is over and you attain your reward, you will have fought, finished and kept the faith. Until then, you are fighting the good fight; preparing to finish and living by faith. You may say that you can't do this, but you are wrong, 2 Timothy 1:7 says, 'For God has not given us a spirit of fear but one of power, love and sound judgement.' In other words, you are equipped and therefore, 'Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith' Hebrews 12:1-2.

When we do this, we can guarantee that we will finish the race successfully. Yes, there will be many difficulties ahead, you can expect that, but nothing worth anything is ever easy. As you complete this course you will receive your medal - the reward of hearing Jesus as He welcomes you into His home - Heaven.

Until then, remember God has put a fighter in you; true fighters never quit, despite the odds. They go forward, pressing on. So get into the Word of God, spend time with Jesus and, live for Him. There really is no other way to live, and as you do, you will be able to say along with Paul, 'I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith

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The God of 'No More'

"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, death will be no more, grief, crying and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed way."  

                                                                                          Revelation 21:4   CSB 

Many of us have suffered from the things mentioned above, and more. What about disappointments, rejection and failure? These have been prominent in most of our lives too. However, when we get to heaven, these will all have passed away. Until then, we have the help and support of the Holy Spirit to allow us to overcome these areas.

We all know that this is not easy; one almost wants Jesus to end the pain and suffering now, not later. We are 'Now' people and find it difficult to cope with what the world throws at us. It can make us ask, 'Why do we have to go through all the pain and suffering when we belong to a loving God? I suppose this can be summed up in the suffering Jesus had to go through. The Father allowed His one and only precious Son to be ransomed for us, so that we could be redeemed - purchased back from our sinful lives, so that our names could be written in the Lamb's Book of Life, as we repented.

Incidentally, Have you considered this fact; one day everyone will have to stand before Jesus to give an account of our lives? Those with their names written in this Book of Life, will have immediate access into heaven because Jesus paid the price of their sin. Those who are not recorded in this Book, will be thrown into the lake of fire Revelation 20:15. This is serious stuff and why we need Jesus so much.

I like what Tony Evans writes concerning this:

'When God writes your name in the Book of Life, He does so in ink - not pencil'

This means, once your name is there, no one can rub it out, it is permanent, God does not change His mind.

No more will you have to suffer, no more will you be ripped off or subject to scams and no more will anyone cheat on you. God has written a cheque in your name and it says, 'Paid in Full'. Until that day, we need to remember that we are Soldiers of the Living God and Jesus is our Commanding Officer. The difference here is, instead of Him remaining in the safety of the bunker, He goes with us, giving us the victory. Whether we live or die, we have the victory - our names are written in the Book. The God of 'No More' says so!

Copyright 2022 Grahame Howard.                                

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