18 Aug 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: abundant provision, according to his riches in glory, all the days of my life, all these things shall be added unto you, an honoured guest, another work week, be eternally grateful, by Christ Jesus, Christians, divine intervention, do our part, dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, ease the pain, eternal celebration of God's goodness, faith, faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers, for His name's sake, he leads me beside the still waters, he makes me lie down in green pastures, he restoreth my soul, holy spirit, humble servants, I am the good shepherd, I will fear no evil, improve our Christian witness, in the presence of mine enemies, independent, it's all for our benefit, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, lack any good thing, leads me in the paths of righteousness, live a life befitting the name of Christ, live the life God desires of us, LOVE, mass confusion in our world, mercy, mighty lions, my cup runneth over, my God shall supply all your needs, Praise the Lord, pray, prosper us, protector and provider, rebellious and disobedient sheep, salvation, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, self-sufficient, sincere repentance in our hearts, sincerely seek your face, sinned and disobeyed your Word, strong faith in Christ, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me, the BIBLE, the God who heals, the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep, the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want, the many suffering from negative situations, the role of God, the throne of grace, the utopian dream of sheep, the valley of the shadow of death, the very essence of God, things are on the upswing, thou anointest my head with oil, thou art with me, thou preparest a table before me, though I walk through, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me, to alleviate our problems, truth, turn from our evil ways, vindication before one's enemies, wisdom, wise guidance
Psalm 23:1. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want (lack any good thing).
Well, well, well! If it isn’t another Monday, meaning the start of another work week. And it’s a different one too, not as hot as the last few, and it might just get up above the twenty degree mark, with a cool breeze to keep things in order. (smile) Even yesterday wasn’t that hot, and we did have some more rain in the afternoon. So hopefully, things are on the upswing now, with fewer very hot days. I even got to sit comfortably on my porch yesterday afternoon and watch the people passing by. Praise the Lord!
And since the sun is shining brightly, and the birds are singing sweetly, why don’t we give the Lord some sincere praise and thanks for allowing us to see another beautiful day on His marvellous earth? And what better way to do that than through the most beautiful and most appropriate words of Bruh David from Psalm 23. So please declare with me: ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want (lack any good thing). He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still (calm) waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth 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 thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.’ (Ps. 23:1-6)
Wow! What beautiful sentiments…and they are all true too! And I like how the scholars put it: ‘The psalm has been a favourite of God’s people through the ages and with due reason: it expresses as simply and clearly as any the role of God as our protector and provider in life. The charm of the psalm rests on two figures of speech: the Lord is compared to a shepherd and the believer to his sheep (vs. 1-4); then the Lord is likened to a host with the believer as the guest (vs. 5-6).’
And the image of the Lord as being a shepherd is not a new one, you can find it all through the Bible. In the Old Testament for instance in Ps. 78:52; 80:1; Is. 40:11; Jer. 31:10; and Ezek. 34:11. Then in the New Testament in Heb. 13:20; 1 Pet. 2:25; Rev. 7:16-17. And this one in John, which comes from the mouth of the shepherd Himself, where Jesus informs us: ‘I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep.’ (John 10:11) And that is exactly what He did; selflessly give His sinless life as atonement for our horrible sins against Almighty God!
Oh friends, Bruh David catches the very essence of God in those few verses, like no one else has ever done. So let’s look at some of the sentiments nuh. For instance, ‘I shall not want.’ That means the Lord his shepherd will provide all he needs. Jesus also said it loud and clear: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.’ (Matt. 6:33) And Bruh Paul corroborated that in his letter to the Philippians, when he writes: ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in Glory by Christ Jesus.’ (Phil. 4:19)
And what more can we ask for, when he makes us to lie down in pastures of green grass beside quiet and calm waters eh? Nothing! Because that is the utopian dream of sheep! (smile) Then He restores our souls, and leads us in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. The Lord is surely powerful and merciful, if He can and is willing to do those things. And Bruh David certainly believed that, as he confidently declared in Psalm 31: ‘For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.’ (Ps. 31:3) And please note that it’s all in God’s name, all for His glory, not for ours.
And do I ever like the next verse, about walking through the valley of the shadow of death and not fearing. But why should we fear, when it’s only a shadow of death, and a shadow can do us no harm. But nonetheless, the Lord will not allow us to go through terrible times without being present at our side and helping us through them. For that’s what a good shepherd does!
Now here’s this interesting affirmation from the scholars. ‘Believers are never pictured in Scripture as mighty lions, independent and self-sufficient; rather, they are sheep who are dependent on their Shepherd for His provision and protection. But the Believer is more than a dependent sheep, however, he is also like an honoured guest, since the Lord prepares a table for him. Connected with this honoured position is abundant provision, vindication before one’s enemies, and eternal celebration of God’s goodness.’
No wonder that despite all of my failures, the Lord will still treat me as an honoured guest, preparing a table of lavish provision right in the presence of mine enemies; so much so that my cup overflows with His goodness and mercy, which will lead to a wonderful life with Him through all eternity. What more can one ask for eh my brethren! Absolutely nothing else! Christians are the ONLY ONES who have a gracious, merciful and forgiving God, who is not afraid to extend Himself to meet the needs of His people! For that we ought to be eternally grateful and live a life that’s befitting the name of Christ.
Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking grace and mercy in these desperate times. ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.
Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
Now, going to God in prayer is fine, but we won’t see divine intervention until we do our part and live the life God desires of us. And we all know where we’re faltering, so let’s be wise and improve our Christian witness nuh! Remember, it’s all for our benefit! Much LOVE!
…the Lord’s a good shepherd…but it doesn’t matter if the sheep are rebellious and disobedient…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
07 Feb 2025
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all the days of my life, anxiety and confusion, become better witnesses for Christ, Bible, blessed be the Lord, christianity, clean up our act, colon surgery, comforts, divine aid, dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, error of their ways, faith, for His name's sake, Friday chant, goodness and mercy shall follow me, he restores my soul, holy spirit, I will fear no evil, in good hands, in the presence of mine enemies, intorduce a new flock of believers, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, leads me beside the still waters, leads me in the paths of righteousness, leave you in limbo, LOVE, make the Lord proud of us, malignant, mercy, no need to worry, of the shadow of death, omnipotent help, pleasures, prayers, prepare a table before me, problems are escalating, salvation, Selah, stand strong in the faith, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, the God of life death and salvation, the God of our salvation, the God our healer, the issues of death, the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want, the Lord's been making a way, the throne of grace, the weekend, these ungodly times, thou anointest my head with oil, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me, trusting faith, truth, unexpected storm, unto God the Lord belongs, wake up and smell the coffee, walk through the valley, when ye search for me, where there seemed to be no way, who daily loads us with benefits, wisdom, wise guidance, with all your heart, yre shall seek me and find me
Psalm 23:1. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
And though it’s a cold and cloudy morning, many of us are shouting, ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ because the work week is almost over and the pleasures and comforts of the weekend lie straight ahead of us. Let me apologize once again for a lack of the Bit yesterday, but it was another day spent in the hospital going through what they term ‘pre-op surgery.’ And it’s just running from one expert to another to check all the supposed facts and waiting in between to see them. As the doctor so cryptically pit it: ‘Welcome to medicine in the 21’st century!’
And is he ever so right, because despite the numerous computers around, there’s still a whole lot of paperwork being done. Every expert you saw, gave you some sort of paper work to read and study at home. Anyway, the long and short of the story is that today I am going to have colon surgery to remove some diseased parts of that organ. They are not sure whether it’s malignant, but whatever it is, it must be removed. And the good news is that whatever it is, has not spread to any other organs. Thank the Lord!
That’s why you’re hearing from me so early in the day. I just did not want to miss another Bit and leave you in limbo as to what’s happening. Now there’s no need to worry, because I’m in good hands, both the human medics and Jehovah Rapha, the God our Healer, who’s certainly been making a way, when there seemed to be no way. But some prayers will certainly be helpful. I’m not sure when we’ll meet again, but hopefully it won’t be more than a couple of days. Till then, please, let’s stand strong in the faith and make the Lord proud of us.
And not knowing how to proceed from there, (smile) I simply went to my faithful route and opened the Good Library, wherewith, these two interesting verses from Psalm 68 jumped out at me. ‘Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation . Selah. He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues (escapes) from death.’ (Ps. 68:19-20) And that’s the gospel truth my people! Our Great God Jehovah is the God of life, death and salvation! So whom else shall we worship eh? No one else!
And having said that, I’m moved to saying one of our most important and favourite prayers, Psalm 23, those magnificent words of Bruh David penned from His own experience with Almighty God. So please pray with me: ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth 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 thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 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.’ (Ps. 23:1-6)
Wow mih bredrin! Sweeter or more encouraging words were never spoken! That’s why our God is such a great God! Consequently, with all the problems we’re currently having in our disaster-filled world, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking some divine aid to ease our situation.
Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times.
We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’
Let’s remember though, that divine aid will only be forthcoming if we clean up our act and become better witnesses for Christ! Much LOVE!
…and ye shall seek me…and find me…when ye shall search for me…with all your heart… (Jer. 29:13)
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
17 Sep 2024
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: all the days of my life, all ye lands, aspire to be like God, Bible, broke their chains in pieces, brought down their heart with labour, christianity, come before his presence with singing, dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, eternal life, faith, forgiveness, god, God always acts in a righteous manner, God never does what is wrong, goodness, goodness and mercy shall follow me, he made us, his mercy is everlasting, his truth endures to all generations, hurry, in god's eyes, Jesus Christ, joy, know how to give good gifts, let the redeemed of the Lord say so, LOVE, make a joyful noise unto the Lord, mercy, new mercies and compassions, O taste and see that the Lord is good, oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, peace, redeemed from the hands of the enemy, salvation, satisfies the longing soul, serve the Lord with gladness, share His love with my neighbours, sit in darkness, teach me thy statutes, the beloved of God, the Lord he is God, The Lord is good, the Lord is good to all, the rubbish heap of history, the shadow of death, the sheep of his pasture, there is none good but one, trust my friend Jesus, truth, we are his people, wisdom, worry
Psalm 100:5. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
So we’ve come to Tuesday, having thrown Monday on the rubbish heap of history! And since it’s a new day, bright and sunshiny in my neighborhood, it means that new mercies and compassions from our great God are also in vogue, (smile) as they are every day that we draw breath. (Lam. 3:22-23) And that’s something to be very thankful for, otherwise our lives would be even more miserable and frustrating than they are already. But God is good, and He doesn’t want to see us destroyed without a chance to come to Him and His Son for salvation, and the eternal life that springs from it.
That’s why Psalm 100 is essential to our prayer life. Please read it with me. ‘Make a joyful noise (shout joyfully) unto the Lord, all ye lands (all the earth). Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.’ (Ps. 100:1-5)
Oh friends, it’s a short but ever so sweet and comely psalm. It tells us to serve God joyfully because He’s made us, we are His, and He is good; His mercy and truth are everlasting! And what does it mean by God is good? This commentary explains: ‘He never does what is wrong. God always acts in a righteous manner because His nature is holy. The secondary meaning of holy refers to God’s pure and righteous actions. God does what is right. He never does what is wrong.’
No friends. God will always act with goodness in ways that make us better, strengthen us, heal us and restore us. And though being good all the time is impossible for us human beings because of our inherent sin nature, it doesn’t mean we cannot aspire to be like God and do good and right as much as possible. And Psalm 107, titled God’s Redemptive Power, also showcases God’s goodness when it declares: ‘O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hands of the enemy;’ (Ps. 107:1-2)
That’s us my brethren! The Lord has redeemed us from the bondage of sin through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ! That means we ought to be glad and good, for there’s no greater gift than that! As the psalmist later says: ‘Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness (LOVING-kindness), and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound (prisoners) in affliction and iron; Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned (despised) the counsel of the most High:
Therefore, he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder (broke their chains in pieces). Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness (LOVING-kindness), and for his wonderful works to the children of men!’ (Ps. 107:8-15)
There you have it again friends, another reminder to thank and praise the Lord for His goodness and mercy towards the undeserving children of men. When are we going to learn that and keep doing it constantly eh? For it’s only because of the Lord’s mercies and compassions that we are not destroyed.
Meanwhile, Jesus, in His own way shows us that ONLY the Lord is good. When the rich young man comes running and kneels before him, saying; ‘Master (Teacher), what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God.’ (Mark 10:17-18) Technically speaking, Jesus was also good, because He was also God, but according to the scholars, ‘Jesus knew that the man addressed Him as only a religious teacher. He reminds him that no mere man merits the title of good, for that term applies only to God. As the Son of God, Jesus does of course merit highest praise.’
That ought to remind us my people, that we cannot attain salvation and eternal life on our own, but we need the sacrificial death and awesome resurrection of Jesus to do it for us. And there are several other instances where the goodness of God is highlighted. So let’s look at a few. First up is this great verse from Bruh David’s majestic Psalm 23 – The Lord is my Shepherd. He ends it thus: ‘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.’ (Ps. 23:6) No better place to dwell my brethren!
Then Psalm 119:68 says: ‘Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.’ And Psalm 34:8 declares: ‘O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.’ Now hear Psalm 145:9: ‘The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.’ And in Matthew 7:11, Jesus reminds us: ‘If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him.’
Oh my fellow believers, it’s essential that we believe in the goodness of God if we intend to follow His Son Jesus Christ, otherwise we will be shortchanging ourselves and not receiving all that He has to offer us. Now let’s go home declaring (chuh!!!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’
And having said that, it now behooves us to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Jesus with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…the major attributes of God…are what mankind desperately need right now…LOVE, joy, peace, goodness, mercy, forgiveness and salvation that lead to eternal life…
Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien
29 Oct 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: crapaud smoke we pipe, Drinking from my Saucer, dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, faith, fellowship, goodness and mercy shall follow me, holy spirit, I am the door of the sheep, I am the good shepherd, I lay down my life for the sheep, I shall not want, I've got a friend in Jesus, in the fires of hell, Jesus Christ, LOVE, mercy, my cup runneth over, never give up, never too busy to help others, reaping better than I sow, sacrificial praise, salvation, the dark clouds broke, the joy of the Lord is our strength, The Lord is my shepherd, the sun peeped through again, there shall be one fold and one shepherd, truth, wisdom
Psalm 23:1. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
And that day which the Lord declared sacred and special, Sunday, has come around again friends, meaning it’s also time to gather in the Lord’s sanctuary for fellowship and worship, with a joyful rejuvenation of our souls and spirits. Remember the joy of the Lord is our strength, (Neh. 8:10) so when we gather together, His joy percolates through us making us strong and confident in this evil world in which we live. And today we’ll open our worship celebration with a song that reminds us of the never-ending goodness of God, of His marvellous mercies and grace to the children of men who hold Him in high esteem.
The song is aptly titled ‘Drinking from My Saucer’ and is performed by Jamaican gospel artist Javenius Walker, better known as Jabez. It’s a bright and soulful ditty, so let’s get into soulful mode and offer up heartfelt sacrifices of praise to heaven. And the song opens with these spoken words of praise: ‘We Worship You Lord, we worship You with all of our hearts, souls, bodies and minds.’ Then we burst into soulful song: ‘I’ve Never Made A Fortune, And It’s Probably Too Late Now, Oh but I Don’t Worry About That Much, Cause I’m Happy Anyhow. And As I Go Along Life’s Journey, I’m Reaping Better Than I Sow. I’m Drinking From My Saucer, Because My Cup Has Overflowed.
I haven’t Got A Lot Of Riches, And Sometimes The Going’s Rough, But I’ve Got a friend in Jesus, And That Makes Me Rich Enough. I Thank God For all His Blessings on me, And The Mercies He’s Bestowed. I’m Drinking From My Saucer Because My Cup Has Overflowed. I Remember Times When Things went Wrong, And my Faith Wore Somewhat Thin, But All At Once The Dark Clouds Broke, And the Sun Peeped Through Again,’
(Monologue: ‘You know, right now you may be going through some rough times in your life, but I’m here to encourage you today, not to give up. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP! I pronounce a blessing upon your life, upon your family. You must prosper and be in good health in the name of Jesus. I believe it with all my heart.’)
Singing: ‘So Lord, Help Me Not To Grumble and complain About The Tough Rows That I’ve Hoed. I’m Drinking From My Saucer Because My Cup Has Overflowed. And If God Gives Me Strength And Courage to go on living, When The Way Grows Steep And Rough I’ll Not Ask For Other Blessings Jesus, For I’m Already Blessed Enough, And May I Never Be Too Busy, To Help Others Bear Their Loads, Then I’ll Keep Drinking From My Saucer Lord, Because My Cup Has Overflowed! Yes, I’ll keep drinking from my saucer Lord, Cause my cup has overflowed, Oh my cup has overflowed…. Yes My cup has overflowed…’
And that’s the unblemished truth my people, because some of us have been so blessed by the Lord God Almighty that we don’t know what to do with ourselves! (smile) Now, although there are many scriptures that can be applied to different parts of the song, the scripture that I believe best encompasses the whole song are those marvellous words penned by Bruh David, that we call Psalm 23,or more precisely, ‘the Lord is My Shepherd.’ And if you don’t believe me, there’s no better way to make my point than by us declaring it (chuh!!!).
So please pray with me: ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth 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 thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 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.’ (Ps. 23:1-6)
Wow mih bredrin! That surely reads like the song! All the tough times and trials we go through in this earthly life are covered, made up for by our wonderful God, our mighty and ever-LOVING Shepherd! That’s what the shepherd is all about; taking care of the sheep, and Jehovah God does indeed take care of those who follow obediently in His fold. And one of the reasons why I believe that psalm captures our imaginations so much is because we know that Bruh David lived the words he wrote.
He didn’t have an easy life, and paid dearly for his mistakes, but through it all, he never strayed far from the Lord, and consequently the Lord gave him the desires of his heart, made him a mighty warrior, a LOVING and generous soul, and when all was said and done the most powerful and adored king that Israel ever had. Bruh David himself learned the tough lessons out in fields looking after his father’s sheep, so he was very conversant with a shepherd’s duties and thus could write from personal experience, that’s why the psalm is so real.
And let’s not forget that Jesus referred to Himself as a shepherd, the Good Shepherd. And He knows His sheep, and His sheep know Him and will not follow another. Furthermore, He went on to boldly proclaim: ‘Verily, verily, I say unto 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 thief cometh not, but for (except) to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.’ (John 10:7-11)
And that’s exactly what Jesus did for us my fellow believers; gave His sinless life on the cross of Calvary for our salvation. And since then He’s been looking after us as well as can be expected given our sinful and disobedient ways. So how can we not say that He is indeed our Good Shepherd eh? We cannot, if we are being truthful. And Jesus continues with the shepherd analogy. ‘I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth 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 shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold (flock), and one shepherd.’ (John 10:14-16)
Now, we had better give a big ‘Thank You!’ to Jesus for including us Gentiles in His fold, for we are the other sheep He was referring to. And if hadn’t included us, then crapaud would surely smoke we pipe down in the fires of hell with Satan! Ah my fellow saints, I jut can’t understand why so many of us refuse to believe in Jesus, when He’s the best option we have in this topsy-turvy, chaotic and evil world. But as they say, there are no accounting for taste buds. And all I can say to those unbelievers is, as for me and my house, we will follow Jesus, right down the very end. And I sincerely hope you’ll join me there. Much LOVE!
…the sheep that doesn’t follow its shepherd…will eventually get lost and be forsaken…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
08 Oct 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a blessed sign, a rainbow, a spirit of power love and a sound mind, all the days of my life, an honoured guest, beside the still waters, covenant people, do it afraid, dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, eternal life, fear no evil, For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, for His name's sake, goodness and mercy shall follow me, HAPPY THANKSGIVING CANADA!, I shall not want, in the presence of mine enemies, lie down in green pastures, my cup runneth over, preparest a table before me, protector and provider, Ray Conniff Singers, restoreth my soul, sacrifices of praise, sheep dependent on their shepherd, stick to God like white on rice, successes, the 23 Psalm, the God of his fathers, the Holy One of Israel, The Lord is my shepherd, the paths of righteousness, the role of God, the valley of the shadow of death, thou anointest my head with oil, thy rod and staff, thy rod and thy staff comfort me, trials, uplifting sentiments, wisdom to the nth degree
Psalm 23:1. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
HAPPY CANADIAN THANKSGIVING!
Oh friends, yesterday evening I was travelling on the highway around 6 p.m. and was guided to look up to the heavens, and what did I see? A glorious rainbow arcing over the highway from north to south. And it wasn’t one of those thin ones you usually see, but a big, thick one shining forth in all its glory. And as I gazed at it in wonder, I noticed that my windshield was getting blurry.
Much to my surprise, in all the sunshine, a thin drizzle of rain had begun falling. And it only fell for a couple of minutes. Then a couple of minutes later, when I looked for the rainbow, I didn’t see it. I don’t know if I had simply driven past it, or it disappeared. And you can call me foolish, but I took it as a blessed sign on this long Thanksgiving weekend, for I have not seen a rainbow, and one as thick as that, in quite some time. (smile)
Now, let’s get to some worship on this Sunday morning in the Lord’s sanctuary. And today we’ll open with possibly the second most favourite prayer in our faith…The 23 Psalm, better known as the Lord is My Shepherd. Those wonderful words of faith and encouragement penned by Bruh David most likely in one of his most difficult and trying moments when his faith in the God of his fathers definitely shone through. The Holy One of Israel who had been his strength and deliverer in both his trials and successes.
We couldn’t have a more appropriate song for today! And since it’s a song of joy and good news, we’re not going to do a dirge-like version that seems to be so popular. No sir, we’re going to sing a sweet, scintillating up tempo version, like that done by the Ray Conniff Singers, with beautiful voices raising sincere sacrifices of praise to high heaven.
Singing: ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth 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 thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 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…Yes, surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever…for ever…for ever and ever…’
Oh my my! What beautiful music my people! What moving and uplifting sentiments! Short and simple but capturing the whole essence of our faith! And I must share the wonderful explanation provided by the scholars. They say: ‘The psalm has been a favourite of God’s people through the ages and with due reason: it expresses as simply and clearly as any the role of God as our protector and provider in life.
The charm of the psalm rests on two figures of speech: the Lord is compared to a shepherd and the believer to His sheep (vs. 1-4); then the Lord is likened to a host with the believer as the guest (vs. 5-6). The image of the Lord as a shepherd is a frequent one in both the Old Testament (Is. 40:11; Jer. 31:10) and the New Testament (John 10:11-16; Heb. 13:20).’ That’s because the society back then was agrarian, dealing with the cultivation of land and the herding of animals, so the analogy to the Lord as a shepherd would be readily understood.
And the scholars continue: ‘Believers are never pictured in Scripture as mighty lions, independent and self-sufficient; rather, they are sheep who are dependent on their Shepherd for His provision and protection. However, the believer is more than a dependent sheep; he is also like an honoured guest, since the Lord prepares a table for him (vs. 5) Connected with this honoured position is abundant provision, vindication before one’s enemies, and eternal celebration of God’s goodness.’
Wow! How could you get any better looking after than that eh mih people? No way Jose! Our God is undeniable the Greatest! And it doesn’t mean that we don’t have problems, but He brings us through them and works it all out eventually for our eternal good! And for my money, the most evocative, the most expressive of all the sentiments is the one expressed by the first line: ‘The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.’ Yes friends, Bruh David could have stopped right there, and we would have known full well what he meant. The rest of the psalm is just an explanation of the first line, outlining what a shepherd does for his flock, and in this case what our great God Jehovah does for His covenant people.
But nonetheless, each sentiment offers encouragement for the believer. How could not lying in green pastures beside still, calm waters not encourage us eh? Then generously restoring or refurbishing our souls, while leading us along righteous paths… No other supposed god has ever promised those things. They only want to take from you, while our God desires only to give in return for our faithfulness.
Now this next verse is indeed a big one: ‘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.’ (Ps. 23:4) Mama Mia! What courage and strength our God engenders and imbues in us! That’s certainly reminiscent of Bruh Paul’s words to Timothy: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind). (2 Tim. 1:7)
Glory be my faithful brethren! The courage our God instills in us helps us to overcome the greatest fear. Or as sister Joyce (Joyce Meyer) likes to say, we overcome fear by faith, and even if we are beset by fear, we nonetheless do the Lord’s work afraid, because we know that He is with us all the way. And who says our God isn’t audacious eh, that’s daring and intrepid? Boldfaced, boldfaced, He prepares a table of goodies before us in the presence of our enemies. Which other God has the parts to do that eh? NONE!
On top of all that, He LOVINGLY anoints us with oil, while our cup runs over with abundance! And as always, we’ve left the best part for last: ‘Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.’ (Ps. 23:6) Yes, my fellow saints, that’s what we said, and it’s exactly what we mean…we will dwell in the Lord’s sparkling mansion with Him, have eternal life, spend eternity with Him…for ever and ever and ever…
And if after all we’ve said above there you don’t want to embrace that wonderful Shepherd and all that He stands for, then there’s nothing I can do about it. But yuh know what? As for me and my house we will embrace Him as tightly as we can; stick to him like white on rice! For that’s wisdom to the nth degree! Please have a blessed and enjoyable Thanksgiving! Much LOVE!
…only if you join the fold of the Good Shepherd…will you enjoy goodness and mercy…and live for ever and ever…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
20 Mar 2023
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a momentous occasion, a perfect recipe for disaster, all the days of my life, anointest my head with oil, blessings run you down, divine help, dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, eternal life, faith, free will, he maketh me to lie down in green pastures, he restoreth my soul, heal our Lnad, humble servants, I am the good shepherd, I will fear no evil, Jehovah Rapha, Jesus Christ, Jesus is the only way to go, joy, leadeth me beside the still waters, live for Christ, LOVE, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, monumental news, my cup runneth over, one truth from the Bible, promised to hear and answer our prayers, salvation, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, sincere repentance, still fresh through all the ages, the Bible is God's word to us, the fly in the ointment, the God who heals, the good shepherd gives his life for his sheep, the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want, the valley of the shadow of death, thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me, to demonstrate commitment, truth, unwise in an unwise world, victory, wisdom, wisdom at our finger tips, worth more than all man's wisdom
Psalm 23:1. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Oh friends, on this sunny but chilly Monday morning, we want to open with some monumental news! Yes, it is a momentous occasion! One where we hear and understand that The Bible is God’s Word to us. That it is still fresh through all the ages, and if we read it, we will find God’s exceptional wisdom on its pages! Wow! What magnificent news that is my people! Because it means that all of us who are sincerely seeking wisdom just have to read the Bible, God’s Word to find it.
Yes friends, wisdom is right at our finger tips, no further than the Bible that sits looking pretty on your desk or table, but is truly gathering dust, since you don’t read it. And by the way, here’s this other piece of monumental information: One truth from the Bible is worth more than all the wisdom of man! That’s worth another Wow! Yes mih bredrin! Imagine that nuh. One li’l truth from God’s Word is worth more than all of man’s wisdom! Meaning to say that man’s wisdom is not worth very much, especially when compared to God’s.
So why then do we all insist on learning and spouting the wisdom of man and not God’s eh? If man’s wisdom is worth so little, we should all be hungry and thirsting for the wisdom found in God’s Word. But to get that means reading God’s Word, the Bible, which so many of us claim to be too busy to do. That’s why so many of us are unwise in an unwise world, because the world doesn’t value God’s Word and His immortal and infinite wisdom.
And it’s the basic answer to all of the earth’s problems. If you ignore the Word of the Creator of the universe and all therein, and the amazing truths it contains, how can you ever live a successful life, either individually or communally? No way Jose! The fly in the ointment here is that in addition to His Word, God also gave us free will to do as we please, sincerely hoping though that we’d be wise enough to read His Word and then follow His plan for our lives. But unfortunately, too many of us are trying to do it our own way without God’s help, and that is a sure and perfect recipe for disaster.
Jesus Christ. God’s Son, whom He sent to earth to help us see the light said it quite simply and clearly. ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) Now that’s one of the essential truths of God’s Word. If we seek His kingdom and His righteousness before anything else, then we will have all our needs fulfilled. How did Bruh David put it in that marvellous psalm that we all know and revere with our mouths but not our hearts: ‘The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want.’ (Ps. 23:1)
And what does a shepherd do for his sheep eh? ‘A shepherd is committed to a flock and the one responsible for guiding the sheep, protecting them, and attending to their needs. So, to serve as a shepherd means to demonstrate commitment to the well-being of other people. It involves watching out for them, helping them, and teaching them.’ Therefore, that means if the Lord God Almighty is our shepherd, then He is thoroughly committed to our well-being. And His Son Jesus Christ said it in so many words. ‘I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.’ (John 10:11)
And that’s exactly what He did; gave His sinless life on the cross of Calvary so that we, His sheep could be saved, could have victory, salvation and eternal life. So why is it so difficult to follow him eh? So hard to read God’s Word, believe it and then live it, despite all the marvellous examples of great men of God laid out in that Good Library, we call the Bible? I truly don’t know. Instead, we’re all going crazy for the things of the world and its evil doings, which don’t truly satisfy, and therefore we have to continually run them down, regardless of how much we have already accumulated.
But friends, here is another word of wisdom for us. When you live for Christ, you don’t have to run down anything because God’s favour, grace and blessings run you down! But I guess we all have to find out the uselessness in running down the things of the world for ourselves before we believe. Meanwhile, here are the words of Bruh David, who as we all know personally lived them, and consequently experienced the joy of God’s favour. Hopefully, hearing them again will light a spark in our own souls and lives and wake us up to the reality that God, through Jesus Christ is the ONLY WAY to go.
Please read with me: ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth 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 thou art with me: thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil: my cup runneth 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.’ (Ps. 23: 1-6)
Oh friends, if we look at all the things Bruh David wrote there, we will see that he experienced it all. His life wasn’t easy, but God never promised us an easy life. He promised us a full, abundant and interesting one. And that’s a big part of our problem as believers. We think that because we’re following Jesus, life should be easy. But that’s the furthest thing from the truth, because Jesus said it quite clearly. ‘If any man will come after (follow) me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) That doesn’t mean easy living my brethren, but rather a sacrificial sense of purpose, because Christianity was not made for cowards.
So now that we’ve acquired some godly wisdom, (smile) let’s go to God, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn and place all our problems before Him, as He’s said in His Word that we ought to do. Altogether now: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. We desperately need Your divine help, for You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.
Heavenly Father, we admit that we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but we know that You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. That’s why we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading with You to give us wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.
And Father, we pray that you will ease the pain of the many who are suffering from negative situations. Please show them Your awesome grace and mercy, and keep Your promise that You’ll hear our prayer, forgive us, and heal our land if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’
And having said all of that, it now behooves us to turn our words into sincere action, so that the Lord can do His part. Much LOVE!
…if you’re seeking wisdom…why go anywhere else than to the fountainhead…Almighty God…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ
13 Sep 2022
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: a bunch of ingrates, always welcoming me, blame others for my failure, bounden duty, critical and obstinate, disobedience, dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, escape your penetrating gaze, feed his flock like a shepherd, gather the lambs with his arm, gently lead those with young, Godd's goodness and mercy, goodness and mercy shall follow me, helping to build God's magnificent kingdom, hurry, I keep running back to you, I will fear no evil, judge harshly, know where your bread is buttered, lie down in green pastures, lock stock and barrel, LOVE, ministry of salvation forgiveness and eternal life, names not in the obits, One Year Book of Bible promises, pay for the sins of, pride, Ruth Harms Calkin, sacrifice His only son, share His love with the world, thank you for Loving me, the beloved of God, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want, the paths of righteousness, the valley of the shadow of death, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me, trust my friend Jesus, Tuesday Mantra, worry
Psalm 23:1. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
It’s Tuesday; a brand new day friends, and thankfully our names are not in the obits…Praise the Lord! That means we’re alive, though possibly not kicking as hard and powerful as we might want to. (smile) But the important thing is that we were granted at least one more day to see God’s goodness and mercy on His planet earth, another chance to continue doing His awesome bidding, helping to build His magnificent kingdom. Glory be my people!
What a gracious, merciful and LOVING God we serve! There’s none other like unto Him! And that’s for certain sure! Who else would sacrifice their ONLY Son to pay for the sins of a bunch of ingrates eh? Only the Lord God Jehovah; the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! And that’s why this poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin is ever so appropriate, ever so rich in reasons why the Lord God Jehovah is our God; our ONE and ONLY God!
It’s titled ‘I Keep Running Back to You.’ Please read with me: ‘You know how it is with me, Lord. So often I mess up my days. I judge harshly I am critical and obstinate I waste time and energy I blame others for my failure. There are people I try to avoid And tasks I try to evade And when I can’t have my own way I sulk in my own little corner. Lord, I even turn my back on You To escape Your penetrating gaze.
Then finally I get fed up with myself. The intolerable loneliness frightens me. And I can no longer endure my shame. It always happens, Lord – I keep running back to You! Where else can I go? Who else understands me so well Or forgives me so totally? Who else can save me from foolish pride? No one, Lord, but You. So thank you for accepting me For LOVING me For always welcoming me. I just can’t help it, Lord I keep running back to You!’
And that’s the way it ought to be my faithful brethren! Yes, we ought always to keep running back to our wonderful, unchangeable, ever-LOVING and always welcoming God, whenever the pressures of this world and our inherent sin nature get the better of us! That’s because there’s no place better to go when we can’t help ourselves. And here’s the reason why; it’s the Bible Promise on which the poem is based.
But I’m in somewhat of a quandary here, as to which version to use, the King James or the New International which the Book of Poems used. So to solve it, I’m just going to give us both. (smile) The promise comes from the Old Testament, through the prophet Isaiah. And it says: ‘He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.’ (Is. 40:11) Now that’s the King James Version.
Here’s the New International translation. ‘He tends his flock like a shepherd. He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads them that have young.’ And I guess the only real difference between the two translations is that the former uses the future tense, and so it should, since the necessary situations had not yet unfolded. Meanwhile the second version uses the present tense because the Lord God has already begun what the prophet prophesied about; the coming of Jesus and His wonderful ministry of forgiveness, salvation and eternal life.
Anyhow, the important thing is that we know where our bread is buttered and where we need to run for help and succour when, because of pride and disobedience, life gets a bit too much for us to handle. And it all revolves around the pastoral imagery of the shepherd, who is responsible for the health, wealth and livelihood of his flock. The shepherd makes sure that his flock is well looked after and taken care of, thus the comparison of our great God to that of the Good Shepherd.
Remember Bruh David’s opening remarks in our second favourite scripture, Psalm 23: ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.’ (Ps. 23:1) That’s the purpose of a shepherd; to make sure that his sheep lack nothing or want for anything. And the Lord God Jehovah admirably performs that duty in the lives of those who believe in, and sincerely accept His Son Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. Glory Hallelujah!
And how does He do that, you might ask? Well, I guess the best explanation is Bruh David’s in the rest of Psalm 23. So let’s read it together. ‘He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still (restful) waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth 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 thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy (LOVING-kindness) shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.’ (Ps. 23:2-6)
Wow! Life couldn’t get any better under any other shepherd my people, for the Lord gives us everything; from rest in this world, to rest with Him eternally. He causes us to walk in the straight and narrow paths of righteousness; takes away our fear, even when death threatens us; protects us with His powerful weapons, His rod and staff, as He refreshes us with an anointing of restorative oil, and prepares a feast for us right in front of our enemies, who can’t do a thing to overturn it!
Now, that to me is the perfect shepherd! And I want to be in His fold, and none other, because no other fold or shepherd meets the excellence of Jehovah God! End of story! And for those of us who are sincerely trying to walk in Jesus’ fold, let’s go home now declaring (yesss!!!) our Tuesday Mantra letting the whole world know to whom we belong lock, stock and barrel.
As one strong and confident voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’
And having broadcast that to the world, it’s now our bounden duty to go out and share that amazing LOVE and friendship of Jesus with all we meet, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!
…Jesus is the epitome…the best example of a Good Shepherd…
Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8
11 Mar 2018
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: awesome power, confidence, Daylight Savings Time, dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, exalt, faith, finite mind, glorify, goodness, harmony, his name's sake, holy spirit, hope, I am the good shepherd, I shall not want, I will fear no evil, in the presence of mine enemies, leads me beside still waters, lie down in green pastures, LOVE, mercy, oil and lube, paths of righteousness, pleading ignorance, raise our voices, rejuvenation, restores my soul, sacrifices of praise, strength, sweet adoration, The Lord is my shepherd, the Lord's Day, the Lord's Word, the valley of the shadow of death, thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff comfort me
Psalm 23:1. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
It’s time once again friends for our weekly rejuvenation; meaning it’s the Lord’s Day and we need to go to His sanctuary to get oiled and lubed, (smile) so we can handle the upcoming week’s affairs with strength, faith, hope and confidence.
Oh by the way, for those of us who live in the Daylight Savings Time zones, please be reminded that the clocks went back one hour tonight, which means that church will held an hour earlier. So please don’t miss it by pleading ignorance of the time change. (smile) I won’t put it past many of you to do so.
And as always, before we hear the Lord’s word, we offer up sacrifices of praise and worship, letting our heavenly Father know that we certainly do adore, glorify, exalt and LOVE Him. Today we’ll sing one of the most well-known and heartwarming passages in the Good Book – Psalm 23 – The Lord is my shepherd.
Those immortal words of Bruh David had to be inspired by the Holy Spirit of God. They are too meaningful and applicable to our earthly lives to have simply come from a man’s finite mind. But be that as it may, let’s raise our voices in sweet adoration and wonderful harmony, as we lift up those words to heaven, words written so long ago, but which still retain their awesome power even to this day.
‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters: He restoreth my soul: he leadeth 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 thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth 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. Amen!’
Oh friends, did you feel the power of the Holy Spirit moving in your individual soul and felt like He was present everywhere in the sanctuary, just enveloping us all with His amazing and unconditional LOVE? I surely did! But what a mighty work of God that Psalm is! Almost every believer knows it, and/or has used it in some tough and unforgiving times.
And the opening verse, our Bit: ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want,’ is so all encompassing and comforting that I don’t where or how to start describing it, so I’ll just share the scholar’s explanation. ‘Psalm 23. The psalm has been a favourite of God’s people through the ages with due reason: it expresses as simply and clearly as any the role of God as our protector and provider in life.
The charm of the psalm rests on two figures of speech: the Lord is compared to a shepherd and the believer to His sheep (vs.1-4); then the Lord is likened to a host with the believer as the guest (vs.5-6). The image of the Lord as shepherd is a frequent one in both the Old Testament (Is.40:11; Jer.31:10) and the New Testament (John10:11-16; Heb.13:20).
Believers are never pictured in Scripture as mighty lions, independent and self-sufficient; rather, they are sheep who are dependent on their Shepherd for His provision and protection. The believer is more than a dependent sheep; however, he is also like and honoured guest, since the Lord prepares a table for him (v.5).
Connected with this honoured position is abundant provision, vindication before one’s enemies, and eternal celebration of God’s goodness.’
Wow mih people! In what other faith can you have all of that goodness and LOVING-kindness eh? NONE WHATSOEVER! Only if you are a believer in Jesus can you have a Deity, lead and guide you in safe paths, beside quiet waters, look after all your needs, down here on earth, then take you to dwell with Him eternally in heaven when your earthly sojourn is over.
And please note my fellow believers, the life of eternity in heaven will even be better than that we experience on earth. So you can imagine how wonderful heaven must be! I doubt it, because our minds are too small to imagine it, but Jesus has promised it, and He does not renege on promises.
Now here are a couple of those other verses above that quote God as a shepherd, starting with Isaiah. When he talks about finding comfort through trust in God ‘He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.’ (Is.40:11)
And here is the piece de resistance from Jesus Himself. ‘I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep… I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.’ (John 10:11, 14)
And we’ll close with these most appropriate words from the author of Hebrews: ‘Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect (complete) in every good work to do his will, working in you what which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.’ (Heb.13:20-21)
And that’s my wish for all of us today, my fellow believers. Much LOVE!
…oh how blessed we are to have a wonderful shepherd like Jesus…
SCRIP-BITS 