Overtaken by Blessings (Psalm 23:6)

Psalm 23:6 (KJV)
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

The word follow is from the Hebrew word RADAPH and means, "to run after; to chase; to pursue." In other words, God's goodness and mercy run after me, chase me, and pursue me! WOW! My Shepherd really does love me. I may never shake hands with a celebrity, I may never be on the top 500 wealthiest people list, but my Shepherd's goodness and mercy overtake me!

And notice, God's blessings don't just pursue me temporarily, but ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE! When I'm going through the valley of the shadow of death, my Shepherd's goodness and mercy are still chasing me. When I'm led into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil, my Shepherd's goodness and mercy run after me. When I'm rejected and betrayed and wounded in the house of those who claim to be friends, my Shepherd's goodness and mercy pursue me.

That's why I can wake up every day, regardless of circumstances, and declare, "This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!" I make a conscience effort to rejoice each day regardless of where I am or what I'm going through. Realizing that His blessings follow me every day gives me the strength to press on. After all, the joy of the Lord is my strength, and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Besides, His peace passes all understanding, and His joy is unspeakable and full of glory. Oh, and His hope is eternal and never disappoints. His love is everlasting, His mercy endures to all generations, and His truth endures forever. I have many reasons to be glad and rejoice! And for the record, no celebrity, employer, or politician has ever done this much for me - nor will they.

Friend, you may be reading this blog and be under the stress of life, wearied by your trek in the wilderness, but let me encourage you to turn around - goodness and mercy are hot on your trail - you are about to be overtaken by God's blessings!

But wait: there's more!

David ends this most famous of psalms with these words, "and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever." Now, unless one retires from all everything and goes to live like a monk in a monastery, isn't this impossible?

NO!

Why? Because we are the temple of the Holy Ghost; that's why!

And even though David was under the Old Covenant, he had a clear understanding of the New Covenant. Maybe even better than some today who profess Christianity with their lips but deny Christ with their lifestyles. Could this be why David was a man after God's own heart, to do all God's will? I think so.

Church is not something I do or attend. I am the church! On the way to work, I can celebrate in the presence of the Lord. I can use my couch in my living room as an altar for prayer. I can reflect God's glory and grace in the grocery store. In other words, I can (and will) dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life!

He pursues me daily with goodness and mercy, I choose to pursue His presence in order to worship and adore Him. He's done more for me than anyone. He saved me. He healed me. He forgave me. He set me up on the Rock. I've got a right to praise Him, and I will exercise that right daily!

Rules of Engagement (Psalm 23:5)

Psalm 23:5 (KJV)
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou annoinest my oil; my cup runneth over.

Unfortunately, war has been a part of humanity since sin entered the world. Some battles have been fought over land, others because of arrogant ambition, and some to protect the innocent from tyranny.

Spiritually, there is a war that continues to be waged as well. It's the war for the soul, and Satan strives to kill, steal, and destroy God's flock.

David explains that God prepares a table in the presence of our enemies. This means that God sets the rules of engagement and the terms and rules of war. It's similar to the exchange between God and Satan concerning Job: "You can touch his family and things, but not him" and "You can touch him but not his soul." In both of these instances, God set the terms and Satan had to abide by them.

The Bible tells me that God will not put on me more than I can bear, therefore, I am encouraged to know that He is the one who sets the terms of war. God knows what I can handle, and for how long. He has prepared a table before in the presence of my enemies, and they have to abide by the rules of engagement that God has set forth.

Furthermore, God anoints my head with oil. Bedouin shepherds desire to protect their flocks against all enemies. When they get ready to bed down for the night, they will build a sheepfold, and the shepherd will lay at the entrance of the sheepfold making himself the door. This is interesting because Jesus said, "I am the door of the sheepfold."

But what about the oil? To protect the sheep against attacks from adders, the shepherd will rub oil on the face and head of the sheep, and pour oil in as many holes as he can find. The oil acts as a repellent against adders, protecting the sheep from being bitten and harmed. God anoints us so that we are protected from the bite of the Satan.

Finally, my cup runs over! God doesn't just give me a little blessing; instead, He fills my cup so full that it overflows! God's abundant provision and protection are not limited. In fact, my Shepherd is illimitable!   TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!!!!!

God is your shepherd. You can trust Him completely.

Walking Through the Valley (Psalm 23:4)

Psalm 23:4 (KJV)
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Life is filled with ups and downs. Some days it rains, other days it shines. The winter wind can chill you to the bone, with the summer sun can scorch you, sapping you of your strength.

The ocean ebbs and flows. Seasons come and go. Children grow up. Life changes. Night follows day, and day breaks again.

It amazes me that we understand all of this, and even accept it, but when we get into a spiritual valley, we often feel hopeless and helpless.

Allow me to share with you some ways in which you can overcome the tendency to allow your emotions to drive you crazy during the valleys you walk through.

First, let me retype the verse, emphasizing two very important words - "Yea, though I WALK THROUGH the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."

OK, just in case you didn't see the two words which are bold-faced, underlined, italicized, highlighted, and spelled in all upper case letters, let me give them to you again - WALK THROUGH...

Valley's are not permanent - they are temporal! When I go through one, I "go through" it. I'm not taking up residency in the valley.

Too many have a misconception about valley's. They think that the valley is a place of depression and despair, when actually it serves as a place of refreshing. Sure, the view from the mountaintop is breathtaking and the experience is awesome, but I'm not in love with the experience; instead, I'm in love with the One who leads me!

The Bible explains that the steps of the righteous are ordered of the Lord. The Word of God serves as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. So why do we complain when our Lord leads us into a valley experience? Don't we trust Him in all things and at all times?

The reason valley's are not depressing and I can walk through them unafraid is because of the next words in Psalm 23:4 - for thou art with me... You see, I'm not alone in this valley! My Shepherd is leading me into and through this valley, so I'm not afraid. And my Shepherd's rod and staff comfort me. How? Because He uses them to count me into the sheepfold each night and to ward off any potential predators.

In the first three verses of Psalm 23, David writes in the third person. David writes to us, explaining his appreciation of his Shepherd. In verses 4-6, David writes in the first person and each verse is directed to God personally. Let's spend half of our time telling others about how good our Shepherd is to us, and the other half of our time telling our Shepherd how thankful we are for all He does for us.

Guided by God (Psalm 23:2-3)

Psalm 23:2-3 (KJV) 

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Technology is amazing. We can guide missiles with accurate precision. We have GPS's that can guide us through traffic to our destination. Surgeons use guided lasers to perform surgeries. Yet, with all this technological ability to be guided, let us not forget that God guides us. Long before a "Global Positioning System" people relied upon their "God Positioning System." In these next two verses of Psalm 23, David shows God guiding us.

1) He maketh me to lie down in green pastures...

God knows we need rest. Even though He didn't need to rest, He rested on the seventh day of creation, setting apart this day of rest as holy.

In the fast-paced lifestyle we live today, we must learn to "be still and know that He is God." Anxiety runs rampant today, we must learn to cast all our cares on Him, for He cares for us.

Be guided by God into the green pastures, where you can lie down and relax. If you're of the opinion that "the devil never rests so why should I," remember that Jesus, not the devil, is your example. Jesus rested. He would "come apart" from the crowds to rest. If you don't learn to "come apart" you'll fall apart!

Too many irons in the fire will put the fire out!

If you're burning the candle at both ends, you're not as bright as you think you are!

Let God guide you to some green pastures.

2) He leadeth me beside the still waters...

Sheep are afraid of rushing water. Swift waters are also a risk to the sheep because it could sweep them downstream and they would drown.

The Master Shepherd knows your needs. He knows how much you can bear. He knows what you can handle and what you cannot. He will not lead you to places you cannot survive!

3) He restoreth my soul...

The word "restoreth" comes from the Hebrew word SHUWB and means, "to retreat or withdraw, but not in the sense of starting over, but to get oneself back again; to regain lost strength."

WOW! If that doesn't say it all, I don't know what does.

My Shepherd knows when I need to "get myself back again - to regain lost strength" and He guides me to places where my soul can be restored.

The next time you feel like God doesn't care or know where you are, please re-read Psalm 23 and this blog and remind yourself that God does care!

He sees every sparrow that falls. He numbers the hairs on our head. He names and numbers the stars. You're more valuable than a bird, or the stars, or how many hairs you have on your head!

4) He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake...

God will never lead you astray. He will never lead you in sin. He will lead you in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake!

The sum total of all my righteousness is "filthy rags." I cannot get good enough to get God. I have to get God to get good enough! This is why my Shepherd leads me in HIS righteous paths. My ways lead to destruction. His way leads to life eternal.

Where God guides; God provides!

And where He leads me, I will follow!

The Lord is... (Psalm 23:1)

Psalm 23 is one the most quoted of all the psalms. It shows the beautiful relationship between the Shepherd (God) and the sheep (you and I). Who better than David to have written this psalm? He was a shepherd before he was a king. And David never seemed to forget his roots. Maybe this could be part of the reason that David was a man after God's own heart.

Each verse of Psalm 23 contains deep truths. Let's see what we can discover as we study to show ourselves approved unto God...

The Lord is...

The Lord is - He exists! He is real! He is alive! One of the major differences between Christianity and all other religions of the world is that our Messiah rose from the dead!

When you feel all alone, remember "The Lord is..." - He will never leave you nor forsake you! Jesus said, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the earth."

When you feel like no one understands what you're going through, remember "The Lord is..." - He is touched by the feelings of our infirmities. He was tempted in all points like we are. He knows where we are and what we are going through. And He is right there with us, going through it with us! In fact, He is leading us through it.

We serve a God who "IS"... He is with us... He understands... He leads... He loves... The Lord is...

The Lord is my shepherd...

Shepherds lead and love their sheep. They willingly lay down their lives to protect the sheep. They are not hired hands who just collect a paycheck. Shepherds love the sheep, care for the sheep, and devote their lives to the sheep!

But notice something else: The Lord is my shepherd... It's personal! I can have a personal relationship with MY shepherd. It's more than just religious rote and ritual, IT'S RELATIONSHIP! It's more than just a song with catchy lyrics and beautiful harmony. The Lord is MY shepherd!

The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want!

My shepherd does three things for me...

1. Protects - He guards me!
2. Progresses - He guides me!
3. Provides - He grows me!

This three-part plan is sufficient for me. I may never have the prestige or popularity afforded to celebrities. I may never have affluence in the earth. But The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want! He guards me, guides me, and grows me! What more could I ask for. Besides, all that the world has to offer will fade away, but he that does the will of the Lord abides forever.

The word "want" in Psalm 23:1 is from the Hebrew word CHACER and it means "to lack." The Lord is my shepherd I shall not lack! You see, my God shall supply all my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. I can agree with David, I too have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor His seed begging bread! WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE!

I am a Stranger in the Earth

Psalm 119:19 (KJV)
I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.

This world is not my home; I'm just passing through. My treasure is not found in what this world has to offer. The things of this life will fade away. I am a foreigner - a sojourner - a wanderer. I'm only here temporarily. The "home" of my body will one day be traded for a spiritual body made in the complete image of Jesus Christ. The physical address where I currently live is also temporary. While I'm grateful for my bride and children who make our house a "home," we also realize that it is not permanent. Our home is eternal in the heavens.

In the land of the free and the home of the brave, I fear we've allowed the American Dream to overcome Apostolic Vision! We aspire to have affluence and desire to fulfill destiny, and define success by corporate standards rather than by Christ's statutes!

Have we become like the Church of the Laodiceans: "rich and increased with goods, having need of nothing?" The Laodiceans had influence and affluence. The sign and the bulletin said "Church" but something was missing. Actually, "Someone" was missing. Jesus tells the Laodiceans, "Behold I stand at the door and knock." Jesus wasn't even inside their church, and yet they didn't even realize it.

Are we so consumed with keeping a schedule that we're no longer led by the Spirit? Have we grown so used to the ways of the world that we've forgotten the will of God's Word?

I am not an alarmist by any stretch of the imagination. Yet, with recent news from China and Egypt, specifically, something in my spirit is connecting with the Holy Spirit. We don't have much time left. Don't become so comfortable on this earth fellow laborers. We are to strangers in the earth, not permanent residents!

I long for the day when I hear the last trumpet sound and this mortal is traded for immortality and this corruption is traded for incorruption! Yes, I have my hand to the plow and I'm planting and watering expecting God to give the increase. But I am also looking up because any day now, my redemption could draw near. I'm looking for that blessed hope, the glorious appearing of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This world is not my home, I am simply a stranger in the earth!

This worlds wealth pales in comparison to the crown of glory that awaits me. Popularity and position are cheap imitations of enjoying the Presence of Almighty God. My name may never be engraved in Hollywood. I may never be in the Fortune 500 Club. But, my name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life, and I am a part of the Bride of Christ. That trumps any and every other earthly affiliation!

In the "Hall of Faith," (Hebrews 11), we read quite the epitaph of some Godly heroes...

Hebrews 11:13-16 (KJV) 
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 
14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 
15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 
16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Hebrews 11:38 (KJV) 
(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

These heroes of faith made mistakes, but they are not defined by them because they overcame through repentance. What sets these apart, is that they realized that the "promise" of God was of greater value than anything on or in the earth.

I care not what society thinks of me. Lazarus was a beggar and regarded with disdain. However, while Lazarus never possessed this earth's wealth or prestige, when he died, he was carried to Abraham's bosom. In the same parable, Jesus explains that the rich man who saw Lazarus daily at his own gate, when he died, went to hell. This parable does not imply that wealthy people will automatically go to hell and beggars will automatically go to heaven. What is does teach, though, is that one had treasure where it mattered most! Do you?

Examine the account of your life today fellow laborer. Take stock of your priorities. What do you value? Where is your treasure? I cannot examine for you, but as for me, I am a stranger in the earth. My home is eternity with Jesus Christ.