The Lord Is My Shepard, I Lack Nothing. He Makes Me Lie Down In Green Pastures, He Leads Me Besides Quiet Waters
Allow God's Word To Work In You
PSALM 23:1-4
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 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.
”Psalms 23:1-4 NKJV
https://www.bible.com/114/psa.23.1-4.nkj
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David, in describing the Lord as a shepherd, did so from his own experience because he spent his early years caring for sheep (1 SAMUEL 16:10-11).
Sheep are completely dependent on the shepherd for provision, protection, and guidance, and as a shepherd, David learned a lot from his work which would prepare him for his future battles including his battle with Goliath (1 SAMUEL 17:50-53). In the same way Jesus the good shepherd, prepares us through our work, education, and life experiences, to face our own Goliath’s as we walk with Him in our everyday lives.
Jesus said, ““I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.”
John 10:11-16 NKJV
Jesus is the good shepherd, and we are His sheep. No one needs to be left out, not our sinful past, our lack of abilities or intelligence, nor the colour of our skin or anything at all can steal our salvation. It is your choice. One might say, “my sins are great”, but without doubt, His love is greater, and all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved (ROMANS 10:9-13).
The Lord is the good shepherd, He gave His life for His sheep, He said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
John 10:10 NKJV
When we allow God to guide us, we will find peace, contentment, and abundant life. But when we ignore God, choose sin and go our own way, we can expect things to go drastically wrong.
Their are always consequences for our actions, good and evil. We cannot blame God for the environment we make for ourselves if we are not following His instruction.
Our shepherd knows the “green meadows” and “peaceful streams” that will restore and sustain us. We can only expect to reach these places by following Christ and obeying His word.
It is through Christ that we restore our peace, even in the shadow of death, we shall fear no evil, for we are with Jesus, safe in His hands; He has no equal nor rival, His name is above every other name. He has already defeated death itself when He was risen. “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:31-39 NKJV
I tell you the truth, ““Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8 NKJV
Psalm 23 is one of the most encouraging Psalms in the Bible; speak it over yourself and let God’s Word actively work within and systematically remove fear and anxiety and replace it with peace and joy in Christ; the peace of God that surpasses all understanding that shall guard your heart through Christ (PHILIPPIANS 4:7), and do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength (NEHEMIAH 8:10).
My beloved don’t just read God’s Word, but boldly speak it out daily and it shall actively remove all fear and heaviness and bring about positive change to your daily lives. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12 NKJV
My brethren, Psalm 23 is a perfect place to start:
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.”
Psalms 23:1-6 NKJV
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.
