Journal for Christ: February 2016

Monday, February 29, 2016

Lead us and guide us: Part 1

When I entered this journal entry I thought I would have little to say about this psalm because so much had been written on it already. I was wrong as you will see as time goes on. Remember, don't get hung up on my method. I have 3 basic sections in my journal, which are:

1. Worship

2. Witness

3. WORD

Please take the time to read all if you can and sing if you feel led to. Please pray for me and share with me your thoughts and prayer requests. Blessings to you in Christ!

(Entry From) September 11, 2015

Worship: My Shepherd Will Supply My Need: New tune composed by Rick Betts, featuring Rachel Johnson on vocals. ©2011, all rights reserved. Lyrics from the hymn text by Isaac Watts, 1719 (public domain);

My Shepherd will supply my need:
Jehovah is His Name;
In pastures fresh He makes me feed,
Beside the living stream.
He brings my wandering spirit back
When I forsake His ways,
And leads me, for His mercy's sake,
In paths of truth and grace.

When I walk through the shades of death
Your presence is my stay;
One word of your supporting breath
Drives all my fears away.
Your hand, in sight of all my foes,
Does still my table spread;
My cup with blessings overflows,
Your oil anoints my head.

The sure provisions of my God
Attend me all my days;
O may your house be my abode,
And all my work be praise.
There would I find a settled rest,
While others go and come;
No more a stranger, nor a guest,
But like a child at home.

https://youtu.be/c6d9PNV73kI

I found it hard to believe
Someone like you cared for me
You put this love in my heart

I tried but could not refuse
You gave me no time to choose
You put this love in my heart

I want to know where the bad feelings go
When I'm depressed and I get down so low
And then I see you coming to me and it's alright

I want to tell you right now
I'm not afraid to say how
You put this love in my heart

There are sometimes when I doubt
But you always find me out
You put this love in my heart

Cause when I see all that you've done for me
It's hard to doubt, I just have to believe
Cause you followed and proved it all of your life

Well I know
the loneliness I had before
Is gone now
I'll never feel it anymore

Cause your love has released me
From all that's in my past
And I know I can believe you
When you say I'll never be forsaken
Your love is gonna last

There's so much more I should say
If I could just find a way
You put this love in my heart

Is all this real or a dream
I feel so good I could scream
You put this love in my heart

I want to know where the bad feelings go
When I'm depressed and I get down so low
And then I see you coming to me and it's alright

You put this love in my heart

You put this love in my heart

You put this love in my heart

Songwriters: Green, Keith Gordon

You Put This Love In My Heart lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/k/keith+green/you+put+this+love+in+my+heart_20077338.html

https://youtu.be/hg7HEsCEQ54

Witness: Today has been a day of blessing and concern. As I was driving home this morning from work I “perchance” changed the station I was listening to to check out what was playing on another Christian station in town. It was a testimony by a young woman and the work God had done in her life. As I started to listen, her words made me sad and envious and I changed the channel. Then, like a good father, my Heavenly Father seized upon this as a teachable moment. Like a good shepherd He took his staff to redirect my thoughts and spirit. He reminded me of a previous entry in this journal from psalm 22 where I spoke of how easy it was to praise Him when He was blessing us personally, but how hard it was sometimes to rejoice in other’s blessings from God. Immediately the blues left and the blessing came as I rejoiced and praised God for the miracle in this young woman’s life! When I came home today a friend of mine messaged me, who is a pastor in New York. I have been praying for his ministry there. He said God has blessed the preaching and alter time lately. Praise God! I have also been concerned about a friend who hadn’t contacted me in several days and as I am typing this he texted me. Just like God, isn’t it!

WORD:

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
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.
4 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.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 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.
A Psalm of David.
KJV

1The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

2He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

3he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

for his name’s sake.

4Even though I walk

through the darkest valley,^a

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

5You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6Surely your goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

What an awesome array of songs has been inspired by this short Psalm. Even now I have them playing on my computer as I type. They range from the almost verbatim, to the paraphrased, to the ones like the hymn I sang today with truths drawn from other places in God’s Word.

It is difficult to come up with anything fresh in this Psalm. That is, so many good things have been said I can’t really say anything that hasn’t been said already. I am going to consider this Psalm in two portions, because like most commentators have already pointed out, this is a Psalm involving two different metaphors. The first portion is that of a shepherd (vv. 1-4) and the second portion that of a host (vv. 5-6). However, as the New International Bible Commentary points out:

Certainly vv. 5, 6 do not maintain the sheep metaphor, but there is no need to assume the conscious introduction of another metaphor; the psalm is a unified expression of what God does for the psalmist. (New International Commentary, General Ed.(revised edition) F.F. Bruce, Zondervan,1979 p. 572)

In verses 2-4 we find the actions that God takes towards His sheep. We find the words found often used in public and private prayers. How often have I heard, and used the words myself, “Lord, lead us and guide us”? Here it’s not a prayer put the actual portrayal of the Lord’s leading and guiding. How often are these words said mindlessly or with little thought to what they mean? Psalm 23 helps us to see how these words differ but compliment each other.

I want to flesh this out more, but time is fleeting and I must feed the dogs and get ready for work.

Lord, be my leader and be my guide;

in You I trust, in You I abide

Be my rest and my restoring balm;

my peace, my defense, my everlasting calm.

―Amen

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Our Good Shepherd is Real...

Looks like no one cares to much for this blog site. Too long? Not interesting? Don't understand my method in my quiet time? Don't care to read an anonymous web-site? Please refer to my original two blogs to understand where I am coming from, then pray for me. Finally, share your thoughts on the verse and any prayer needs you have. I would love to join with you in prayer to our Great Shepherd.

September 9, 2015

Worship: The Lord's My Shepherd (Psalm 23) by Stuart Townend

The Lord’s my shepherd, I’ll not want;
He makes me lie in pastures green.
He leads me by the still, still waters,
His goodness restores my soul.

And I will trust in You alone,
And I will trust in You alone,
For Your endless mercy follows me,
Your goodness will lead me home.

He guides my ways in righteousness,
And He anoints my head with oil,
And my cup, it overflows with joy,
I feast on His pure delights.

And though I walk the darkest path,
I will not fear the evil one,
For You are with me, and Your rod and staff
Are the comfort I need to know.

https://youtu.be/pN4tPkX0MG0

Witness: Today was a whirlwind. Sleep, phone call from my good friend Glen posing a theological question that I need to give thought to and not just shoot from the hip. I brought my granddaughter to her first meeting of Roots, a class that happens at church every Wednesday night for 5^th graders. I am excited about what God is doing in her life and the life of her family. Slowly but surely they are moving closer and closer in their walk with God.

Word:

Today and Thursday are taken up with Church activity and Band of Brothers so I will not be able to dig into the Word like I wish. I am reading commentaries and meditating on the Psalm every chance I get. As I think about this Psalm I could on the one hand, be deeply comforted by this Psalm and on the other hand, I could be deeply troubled by it. Taken just on its surface one might think that the believer’s walk with God is one of rest and ease with few problems, and if perchance we are walking through a dark valley in life, everything will turn out “just right” because God is with us. When my life doesn’t seem to flow that way how am I to respond to that? If this view of the Psalm is true, then of course I am going to wonder what I am doing wrong or am I truly one of God’s sheep. Another response could be that God really isn’t a good shepherd, or God is a good shepherd, but even He can’t handle everything so we need to forgive God! Or maybe this Good Shepherd God is just a myth. Such are the troubling thoughts that can follow us all the days of our life and we can dwell in the house of unbelief and misery or the mansion of pleasure and self-gratification and finally perdition forever. Or… we can take a deeper look at the Psalm and see that our Good Shepherd is real and that life with Him is rewarding and when we follow Him our lives will be revitalized and only in Him will we find our true eternal rest.

Thursday, February 25, 2016

He "makes" me rest

In next few blogs I will speak of our Shepherds leading. All believers believe that God leads and guides His sheep, yet how often do we really seek it? _______ You fill in the answer.

September 8, 2015

Worship: All the Way My Savior as performed by Chris Tomlin

All the way my Savior leads me
Who have I to ask beside
How could I doubt His tender mercy
Who through life has been my guide

All the way my Savior leads me
Cheers each winding path I tread
Gives me grace for every trial
Feeds me with the living Bread

You lead me and keep me from falling
You carry me close to Your heart
And surely Your goodness and mercy will follow me

All the way my Savior leads me
O, the fullness of His love
O, the sureness of His promise
In the triumph of His blood
And when my spirit clothed immortal
Wings its flight to realms of day
This my song through endless ages
Jesus led me all the way
Jesus led me all the way

All the way my Savior leads me
All the way my Savior leads me

https://youtu.be/Lvi1UM_4YcM

Witness:

It’s a rainy day today. Not much went on today. Some chores and shopping and dinner and sitting down to my quiet time. My mind shifts to last night as I type this portion of my quiet time. During my quiet time I was interrupted by a desperate plea from a brother in the Lord I had met recently. He was distraught about something happening in his life. Up until now I had not spoken to him since we had met together with at a local men’s gathering called Band of Brothers. It meets twice a year for twelve weeks to study from a workbook based on ten scriptures that give purpose and direction for men as well as a call to purity and devotion and leadership in their spheres of influence. Our motto, repeated at every meeting is: “So others may live!” Broken down into various platoons we get to know a little about each other in our small group of men. Within each platoon we are assigned an accountability partner. This brother was not my accountability partner. That is what was so amazing about this sudden call for help. I must tell you that I pray for each of my brothers in that platoon every day so it shouldn’t have come as too much of a shock. God is good and I believe God will use me to help my brother. I tremble though, feeling so inadequate, but my God will supply all that is needed as our faithful Shepherd.

WORD:

1The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

2He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

3he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

for his name’s sake.

4Even though I walk

through the darkest valley,^a

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

5You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6Surely your goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

As I start this session with the WORD, I see something I never noticed before. The punctuation marks; they differ from version to version. There were no punctuation marks in the original. The translators added them. The NIV and some others link green pastures and quiet waters and restoring or refreshing of the soul together. The RSV links green pastures with verse one and waters with restoration. The KJV and others put green pastures and waters together and link restoration or refreshing of the soul with the paths of righteousness. Not being an expert in this field I will have to study some more to see if I can come to any conclusion.

In the meantime, what can I learn from the phrase, “he makes me lie down in green pastures”? I am struck by the word “makes”. Certainly this is not meant in a coercive sense. That would be a ludicrous thought. The shepherd in the Middle East often had to lead his flock from green pasture to green pasture. The need for rest for his sheep would be uppermost in the shepherd’s mind. However, he would not let them rest in a dry or rocky place, but in one of the lush oasis he came across. God knows we need rest and yes food in our journey of life. He gave us the word for food and the Sabbath for rest. Without getting into arguments on days, Sunday, the Lord’s day should be a time of rest. Some, though have to work, but a time of rest is important for our spiritual and physical well being. When the Lord leads you to rest, then rest. That is His will.

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

A Final Thought

Here my last entry on verse 1 of Psalm 23. The next day I begin on verse 2.

September 7, 2015

Worship: All Creatures of Our God and King by Francis of Assisi; The King of Love My Shepherd Is by Sir Henry Williams Baker

All Creatures of Our God and King

Words: Francis of Assisi, translated by William H. Draper

Music: "Lasst Uns Erfreuen" Geistliche Kirchengesänge. Harmony by Ralph Vaughan Williams

Ps 149:1

Topics: Adoration , Worship

All creatures of our God and King

Lift up your voice and with us sing,

Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thou burning sun with golden beam,

Thou silver moon with softer gleam!

Refrain

O praise Him! O praise Him!

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thou rushing wind that art so strong

Ye clouds that sail in heaven along,

O praise Him! Alleluia!

Thou rising moon, in praise rejoice,

Ye lights of evening, find a voice!

Refrain

Thou flowing water, pure and clear,

Make music for thy Lord to hear,

O praise Him! Alleluia!

Thou fire so masterful and bright,

That givest man both warmth and light.

Refrain

Dear mother earth, who day by day

Unfoldest blessings on our way,

O praise Him! Alleluia!

The flowers and fruits that in thee grow,

Let them His glory also show.

Refrain

And all ye men of tender heart,

Forgiving others, take your part,

O sing ye! Alleluia!

Ye who long pain and sorrow bear,

Praise God and on Him cast your care!

Refrain

And thou most kind and gentle Death,

Waiting to hush our latest breath,

O praise Him! Alleluia!

Thou leadest home the child of God,

And Christ our Lord the way hath trod.

Refrain

Let all things their Creator bless,

And worship Him in humbleness,

O praise Him! Alleluia!

Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,

And praise the Spirit, Three in One!

Refrain

1 The King of love my shepherd is,
whose goodness faileth never.
I nothing lack if I am his,
and he is mine forever.

2 Where streams of living water flow,
my ransomed soul he leadeth;
and where the verdant* pastures grow,
with food celestial feedeth.

3 Perverse and foolish, oft I strayed,
but yet in love he sought me;
and on his shoulder gently laid,
and home, rejoicing, brought me.

4 In death's dark vale I fear no ill,
with thee, dear Lord, beside me;
thy rod and staff my comfort still,
thy cross before to guide me.

5 Thou spreadst a table in my sight;
thy unction grace bestoweth;
and oh, what transport of delight
from thy pure chalice floweth!

6 And so through all the length of days,
thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise
within thy house forever.

United Methodist Hymnal, 1989

http://www.hymnary.org/text/the_king_of_love_my_shepherd_is

*Verdant – adjective - (of countryside) green with grass or other rich vegetation. https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=verdant

https://youtu.be/dKzF9WrBPaw - A beautiful contemporary rendering of the song sung by Sarah Kroger. Not all the lyrics in the song are used and some verses have been changed slightly and a few lines have been added.

https://youtu.be/b3GFVW6m9Qo - A version of the song sung basically to the original words of the song (only changed the word ill to evil in verse 4) Maranatha Celtic. All but verse 5 are sung but it is included in the musical interlude between verses 4 and 6.

A little Hymn Story here about this hymn:

Origin: This beautiful hymn was written by Henry W. Baker in London in the year 1868, and was based on David’s 23rd Psalm, “The LORD is my Shepherd”. Baker was the son of a noble English Baronet and naval Admiral, yet he himself chose to become an Anglican vicar. Over the period of 10 years, Baker sought to produce a hymnbook of songs which reflected the grandeur of majestic worship to the King of Kings. His labour of love became the hymnal, “Hymns, Ancient and Modern”, which after its publication in 1861 became the leading hymnbook of the Anglican church in England. Indeed, Baker became a prolific writer and contributor of Christian hymns, many of which were published during his lifetime in several English hymnals. Baker’s songs are most of all characterised by their tone of either cheerfulness, or tenderness. At the end of his life, when Baker lay dying in 1877, his last uttered words from his deathbed were a repetition of the 3rd verse of this beloved hymn:
“Perverse and foolish, oft I strayed,
But yet in love He sought me,
And on His Shoulder gently laid,
And home, rejoicing, brought me."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKzF9WrBPaw

Witness:

God is so good in allowing me to discover new songs on the internet. I first sang a song that came to mind by Francis Assisi. It was a song I heard much while I was growing up. I would take issue with him when he calls death “most kind and gentle” but the verse before and after minister to me.

The second song I had never heard before. I had Googled the words “contemporary songs based on Psalm 23”. This was the first song listed in the first entry on Google. Ironically it is not a “contemporary song” per se having been written in 1868, but when I read the words I had to sing it. I was blessed by the hymn story as well.

Word:

1The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

2He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

3he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

for his name’s sake.

4Even though I walk

through the darkest valley,^a

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

5You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6Surely your goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

I said I wanted to visit this phrase one more time before I moved on. We spoke of the logic of this verse. Keil and Delitzsch say this,

He who has Jahve, the possessor of all things, himself has all things, he lacks nothing; viz., kaal-Towb, whatever is good in itself and would be good for him

As we have seen from James, “all good gifts are from God”. However, we cannot assume that all gifts that are good are provided to each and every one of us. God will supply all our real needs, that is those, gifts or needs that would be suited for our own personal situations. The believer should understand that God gives only what is good for them. It may not be the same “good” He gives to another one of His sheep. And “good” doesn’t always mean “pleasant” as we will see later in this psalm. Often the good we need is a good whooping and sometimes the good is not in the situation or life experience itself, but in the good God brings out of it (Romans 8:28).

However, this is not the last thing I wanted to share, but it is something that came to mind as I read the above portion from Keil and Delitzsch. The final thing I want to share probably doesn’t really need to be said, but I will anyway. Just because we are His sheep doesn’t mean that provision is automatic. We live in a very narcissistic age where we think we are entitled to many things without putting any effort forward towards receiving them. Many sheep have the idea that because they are sheep God owes it to them to take care of them. Many have been duped by “name it and claim it” and the “prosperity gospel” teaching. As John Piper says of the latter, they aren’t necessarily wrong, their timing is just off, because much of what they desire will come in the future state of glory.

But I digress again. As God’s sheep we live as people who gratefully receive from our gracious Shepherd. We live in patience and expectancy, not with impatience, or a demanding spirit, or crass commanding. We live with pure and obedient hearts and lives in reverent fear and love for our Shepherd.

Ps 34:9-14 says:

Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.

The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,

keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.

Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. NIV

Psalm 87:11 says:

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor;

no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. NIV

Matthew 6:33 is a memory verse for many. I quote it as well as the two verses before it:

³¹ So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

NIV

I do not think I need to say much more here. These verses speak for themselves. However, I will leave you with some quotes from various commentaries.

Psalms 34:10

[The young lions do lack and suffer hunger] That is, they often do it, as compared with the friends of God. The allusion is especially to the "young" lions who are not able to go forth themselves in search of food. Perhaps the idea is, that they are dependent on the older lions-their parents-for the supply of their needs, as the pious are dependent on God; but that the result shows THEIR reliance to be often vain, while that of the pious never is. The old lions may be unable to procure food for their young; God is never unable to provide for the wants of his children. If their needs are in any case unsupplied, it is for some other reason than because God is UNABLE to meet their necessities. The word "lack" here -

ruwsh

- means to be poor; to suffer want; to be needy: Prov 14:20; 18:23.

[But they that seek the LORD] That seek Him as their Friend; that seek His favor; that seek what they need from Him. "To seek God" is a phrase which is often used to denote true piety. It means that we wish to know Him; that we desire His friendship; and that we seek all our blessings from Him.

[Shall not want any good thing] Any real good. God is able to supply every need; and if anything is withheld, it is always certain that it is not because God could not confer it, but because He sees some good reasons why it should NOT be conferred. The real good; what we need most; what will most benefit us-will be bestowed on us; and universally it may be said of all the children of God that everything in this world and the next will be granted that is REALLY for their good. They themselves are often not the best judges of what will be for their good; but God is an infallible Judge in this matter, and He will certainly bestow what is best for them.

Psalms 34:9-11

Those who fear the Lord (vv. 7, 9, 11) need fear nothing else, for this is the fear that drives out all fear (112:1). When we fear the Lord, He provides all that we need when we need it. Verse 9 is the Old Testament equivalent of Matt 6:33. "No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly" (84:11, NASB). God promises to give us what is good for us and to cause all things to work together for good (Rom 8:28). If we don't receive what we think we need, it means it isn't good for us and we don't need it at this time. At this point, David may have gathered the children and youths around him to teach them the secret of real living. Peter quoted verses 12-14 in 1 Peter 3:10-12, and his instructions are wise and workable.

Psalms 34:10

The young lions. "The young lions" are the symbol of powerful oppressors of the humble saints (Job 4:10-11; Ps 57:4; Ezek 38:13; 19:2-3).

They that seek ... - (Ps 84:11; Matt 6:32-33). The limitation is implied in Ps 34:19, that "many are the afflictions of the righteous." They have the promise of "an hundred-fold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions, and in the world to come eternal "life" (Mark 10:30; 1 Tim 4:8).

That’s enough, if not too much, but better to cover in abundance then in “want”. J

Saturday, February 20, 2016

Lord make me want what You want

It has been several days since I have posted anything. I notice that the reception of my blog is spotty at best. My prayer is that this particular blog will be read by many because it shares an important comment on who this psalm is addressed to as well as a personal insight I was given while I was praying that night.

September 6, 2015

Worship: I Need Thee Every Hour by Annie S. Hawks

Annie Hawks wrote:

One day as a young wife and mother of 37 years of age, I was busy with

my regular household tasks. Suddenly, I became so filled with the sense of nearness to the Master that, wondering how one could live without Him, either in joy or pain, these words, “I Need Thee Every Hour,” were ushered into my mind, the thought at once taking full possession of me.

After writing the lyrics, Hawks gave them to her pastor, Robert Lowry, who added the tune and refrain. The hymn was first published at the National Baptist Sunday School Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio, in November 1872. Some years later, after the death of her husband, Hawks wrote:

I did not understand at first why this hymn had touched the great throbbing heart of humanity. It was not until long after, when the shadow fell over my way, the shadow of a great loss, that I understood something of the comforting power in the words which I had been permitted to give out to others in my hour of sweet serenity and peace.

I Need Thee Every Hour

Author: Mrs. Annie S. Hawks; Chorus:Robert Lowry

Composer: Rev. Robert Lowry

Tune: Need (Lowry)

Scripture: John 15:5

1 I need Thee every hour,

Most gracious Lord;

No tender voice like thine

Can peace afford.

2 I need Thee every hour;

Stay Thou near by;

Temptations lose their power

When Thou art nigh.

3 I need Thee every hour,

In joy or pain;

Come quickly and abide

Or life is vain.

4 I need Thee every hour;

Teach me Thy will;

And Thy rich promises

In me fulfill.

5 I need Thee every hour,

Most Holy One;

Oh, make me thine indeed,

Thou blessed Son.

Chorus I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;

Every hour I need Thee;

Oh, bless me now, my Saviour!

I come to Thee.^{^[1]}

Video as sung by Fernando Ortega - https://youtu.be/tZIMDcgrF-Q

Video as sung by Selah - https://youtu.be/V-LkUTjYSUs

Witness: Sunday more than oft is a busy day for me. Work, then prayer, then sleep, then awake, shower, shave and make dinner, then off to church, then home again, then more chores and devotions in between the up and down when the load in the dryer is done and the frequent rearrangement of the load in the wash because it is off balance. Phew! And now I have finally been able to put thought to writing.

As my custom is after prayer and worship, I read a previous day of writing. Today I read my entry from August 15, 2015. The words to a song in the worship section of my journaling spoke to me. I quote two portions of it here:

Father knows best, father knows best
If he hadn't been lookin' out for me I'd be in such a mess
I swore from then on I would do just what he said
'Cause father knows best, father knows best.

Father knows best, father knows best
I'm always lookin' out for you so your heart can be at rest
I'll see you through the bad times, just remember what I said
Father knows best, father knows best.

It reminded me that no matter what happens in life it is in God’s sovereign hands and He knows best. This truth is declared and confessed in Psalm 23. The Lord, our Shepherd, knows what’s best for us.

WORD:

1The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

2He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

3he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

for his name’s sake.

4Even though I walk

through the darkest valley,^a

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

5You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6Surely your goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

Our Shepherd knows what’s best for us. But who is the “us” I am referring to. As has been said, this psalm is a favorite of believer and unbeliever alike. The Believer’s Bible Commentary puts it this way:

23:1 Despite its worldwide popularity, the Psalm is not for everyone. It is applicable only to those who are entitled to say, “The Lord is my Shepherd.” It is true that the Good Shepherd died for all, but only those who actually receive Him by a definite act of faith are His sheep. His saving work is sufficient for all, but it is effective only for those who actually believe on Him. Everything therefore hinges on the personal pronoun my. Unless He is my Shepherd, then the rest of the Psalm does not belong to me. On the other hand, if He is really mine and I am really His, then I have everything in Him!

MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 580). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

We have looked at what “I shall not want” means. If we read this phrase in the KJV we may get the idea that we are not to want anything but of course we know that this verse is about being “in want” or “need”, thus the NIV(2011) says “I lack nothing”. The NLT puts it positively “I have all that I need”. God’s Word translation says, “I am never in need”. The World English Bible says, “I shall lack nothing”. The Message says, “I don't need a thing”. This may sound wrong at first, but if we realize that this is a paraphrase and Eugene Peterson is using a modern American idiom here it makes perfect sense and is a very apt rendering.

What do we mean when we say, “I don’t need a thing”? We usually mean that we don’t need anything because we have all that we need at the moment. And isn’t that what the psalmist is claiming. He has all he needs at any moment in his life because the LORD is his Shepherd!

I want to visit this phrase one more time tomorrow, Lord willing. However, I want to share something the Lord gave me while I was praying today. I wish I could put it in the words I used when I was praying, but my poor memory keeps me from doing that. Nevertheless, I do remember the gist of it.

I was praying and it came to me to ask for the Lord to make me “want what He wants”. Let me illustrate it this way. I have two dogs. One will eat about anything you put before him. He is satisfied very easily. My other dog is more finicky. She will only eat certain brands of dog food and sometimes she won’t eat them either. I may try to force her to eat them but she will just turn her head away. Now the Lord has some finicky sheep as well. They will eat when they want to and only what they want. They may only like to eat a verse a day or a little devotional a day, or only eat once a week at church, nothing too nourishing. For some it’s “just give me a little, I can’t stomach any more than that”. For others it’s “let me gorge once a week please”. Try to give them more and they just “turn their head away”. There are a lot of lean sheep in God’s pasture. It’s not just the finicky that are lean but the busy as well― too engrossed in their own busyness to lie down in green pastures―too rushed to be led to restful waters―too tied up to sit at the table prepared by the LORD.

This of course applies to more than food (i.e. God’s Word), but to anything the Lord supplies us with to meet our needs. That’s why I prayed for the Lord to make me want what He wants. I don’t want to desire anything but what He gives or I will soon stray away. If one has no desire for the things the Lord wants to provide them, they should question whether they are really one of God’s sheep. Matthew Henry says,

The greatest abundance is but a dry pasture to a wicked man, who relishes in it only what pleases the senses; but to a godly man, who by faith tastes the goodness of God in all his enjoyments, though he has but little of the world, it is a green pasture.

Henry, M., & Scott, T. (1997). Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary (Ps 23:1). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems.

Lord not my will but Thy will

Lord not my way but Thine

Let Thy sweet manna be my fill

Let Thy Word be my wine

^{^[1]} Logos Hymnal. (1995). (1st edition.). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

The LORD - Our All Sufficient, All Supplying, All Satisfying God!

Are you satisfied with Jesus? Is God your source of supply for all your needs? Does the Holy Spirit fill you with joy and contentment? If not, then take a second look at Psalm 23 with me. Join me in this journey in the Psalms and find true peace and rest. Find the God who is willing to hear our cries and complaints, yet is sovereign and almighty and holy. Who leads us down the right paths for His glory and by His grace. The God who is above all, yet dwells with the lowly and humble of heart. Who provided the way of salvation through His Son, our Great Shepherd, who is also the Lamb of God!

September 5, 2015

Worship: Standing on the Promises as sung by Selah

Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring.
Glory in the highest I will shout and sing
I’m standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises that cannot fail
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail.
By the living word of God I shall prevail.
I’m standing on the promises of God.

Standing, standing, standing on the promises of God my Savior.
Standing, standing, standing on the promises of God.

What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

I’m leaning, leaning
Safe and secure from all alarms.
I’m leaning, I’m leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms

Are you washed in the blood in the

soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless, are the white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the lamb?

Yes, I’m standing, standing, standing on the promises of God my Savior.
I’m standing, standing, standing on the promises of God.
Yes, I’m standing, standing
I’m standing on the promises of God!

Read more: Selah - Standing On The Promises Lyrics | MetroLyrics

https://youtu.be/txAxJfFw7es

Witness: I have been listening to different versions and paraphrases of Psalm 23 put to music. Today I felt lead to sing this song as I stood up from prayer before I began tonight. This was confirmed by a message I received from someone I had prayed for earlier in the day. They told me of their need and God was able to supply that need. This Psalm is not only a psalm of praise but a psalm of provision and thus a psalm of promise to all who call on our Savior as Shepherd!

WORD:

1The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

2He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

3he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

for his name’s sake.

4Even though I walk

through the darkest valley,^a

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

5You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6Surely your goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

Here in a short but pregnant phrase David sums up what is to follow in this psalm. One could paraphrase this first verse in the form of a logical argument: “Because the LORD ― the ever faithful covenant keeping One ― is my Shepherd→ I lack nothing”. Descriptions of God are flooding my mind. Who is God? He is my: “All Sufficient God”, “All Supplying God”, and “All Satisfying God”! He is sufficient; I need no other source, because His supply is inexhaustible and supremely satisfying. When we realize this, God our Shepherd is most supremely glorified!

As John Piper declares:

God Is Most Glorified in Us When We Are Most Satisfied in Him

You can listen to a message by John Piper with this title. I highly recommend it.

One commentary says:

Psalms 23:1

The Hebrew is emphatic: 'I want nothing.' This implies a supply of every possible want of body, soul, and spirit, in the Lord.

Barnes says:

Psalms 23:1

[I shall not want] This is the main idea in the psalm, and this idea is derived from the fact that God is a shepherd. The meaning is, that, as a shepherd, he would make all needful provision for his flock, and evince all proper care for it. The words shall not want, as applied to the psalmist, would embrace everything that could be a proper object of desire, whether temporal or spiritual; whether pertaining to the body or the soul; whether having reference to time or to eternity. There is no reason for supposing that David limited this to his temporal necessities, or to the present life, but the idea manifestly is that God would provide all that was needful for him always. Compare Ps 34:9, "There is no want to them that fear him." This idea enters essentially into the conception of God as the shepherd of his people, that all their real wants shall be supplied.

All our “real” wants are supplied. All our “real” needs are met. Praise God from whom all blessings flow, now and forevermore, Amen!

I will follow You through green pastures
And sing hallelujah to Your Name
I will follow You through dark disaster
And sing Hallelujah through the pain

And even in the shadow of death
I will praise You
And even in the valleys I will say

Holy, my God
You are worthy of all my praise
Holy, my God
You are worthy of all my praise

You are seated on Your throne in Heaven
And You see all of us down here
And You have promised You will not abandon
So I shall not fear

Even in the shadow of death
I will praise You
Even in the valleys I will say

Holy, my God
You are worthy of all my praise
Holy, my God
You are worthy of all my praise

You made every star
And You taught it how to shine
You knew my name before there was time
And all this was just part of Your glorious design
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Holy, my God
You are worthy of all my praise
Holy, my God
You are worthy of all my praise

You are worthy of all my praise

Songwriters
HATCHER, AUDREY

https://youtu.be/83aQC5ko_94

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Background information on Shepherds

Obviously I had little time to enter anything in my Journal on this day back then. However, I did use it as a time to fulfill a promise I made in an earlier journal entry, to say more on shepherds later. I chose two resources that I felt adequately described the function and lifestyle of a shepherd in "biblical" times. I know for some that is boring. Yet to get a better understanding of things, sometimes you have to do the background work necessary in order to attain the proper understanding of a thing. Journalists who fail to do this are often embarrassed by this and often have to issue retractions for what they have said (that is, if they have any journalistic integrity). So even if you don't like facts, please read the two articles. I promise that we will get in deeper to this Psalm.

Journal Entry From :

September 4, 2015

Worship: Psalm 23 by Jeff Majors; Psalm 23- The Lord Is My Shepherd by Keith Green

The Lord is my Shepherd
I shall not want
He makes me to lie down
In green pastures
He restores my soul
He leads me beside still waters
And leads me in
The paths of righteousness
For His name sake,
For His name's sake, I shall not want

CHORUS:
Yea, though I walk through
The valley of the shadow of death
I will fear no evil
For Thou art with me

The Lord is my shepherd
I shall not want
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
... with oil

[CHORUS]

My cup runneth over
Surely goodness and mercy
Shall follow me all the
Days of my life
And I'll dwell
In the house of the Lord
Forever and ever

Amen!
---
Read more at http://www.lyrics.com/psalms-23-lyrics-jeff-majors.html#y0zUEv6eSvRiqrsM.99

Lyrics: https://youtu.be/d5ivRf_z0dE

The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want
He makes me lie down in green pastures
He leads me beside the still waters
He restoreth my soul
And guides my path in righteousness
For His name's sake

Surely goodness and loving kindness
Shall follow me all the days of my life
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever and ever and ever

Though I walk through the valley
Of the shadow of death
I will not fear, Thou art with me
Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me
Thou preparest a table
Before me in the presence of my enemies

Thou anointest my head with oil
My cup's overflowing

Surely goodness and loving kindness
Shall follow me all the days of my life
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever and ever and ever

Video: https://youtu.be/hg2kSbTKKdc

1The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

2He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

3he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

for his name’s sake.

4Even though I walk

through the darkest valley,^a

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

5You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6Surely your goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

WORD:

Time is up… off to work, but I thought I would include two articles on Shepherds to fill out the meaning of the word in our minds.

SHEPHERD

A person who takes care of sheep. Figuratively, the Old Testament pictures God as Israel's Shepherd-Leader (Ps 80:1; Ezek 34:14). The New Testament reveals Jesus as the Good Shepherd who gave His life for His sheep. When He said, "I am the good shepherd" (John 10:11), Jesus linked His own divine nature with one of the most ordinary occupations in Israel.

Abel is the first shepherd mentioned in the Bible (Gen 4:2). Kings who led Israel (Jer 6:3; 49:19) and certain ministers (Jer 23:4) are also called shepherds. The sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob herded sheep (Gen 13:7; 26:20; 30:36). Rachel was a shepherdess (Gen 29:3). David (2 Sam 5:2; Ps 78:70-72), Moses (Ex 3:1), and Amos (Amos 1:1) found herding to be excellent preparation for future leadership roles.

Jesus' life exemplifies these leadership traits. Jesus knows each of His sheep intimately (John 10:3-5). Sometimes several shepherds will pen their sheep together in a cave or a sheepfold at night. The next morning each shepherd calls to his own sheep with his own unique guttural cry. Each sheep knows his shepherd's voice and responds immediately. Even in a large flock, one individual sheep will run to his shepherd when his own pet name is called (John 10:27).

Sheep are curious, but dumb animals, often unable to find their way home even if the sheepfold is within sight. Knowing this fault, the shepherd never takes his eyes off his wandering sheep (Ps 32:8). Often a sheep will wander into a briar patch or fall over a cliff in the rugged Palestinian hills. The shepherd tenderly searches for his sheep and carries it to safety on his shoulder, wrapped in his own long cloak (Luke 15:6).

In water-hungry Syria and Palestine, shepherds have always had to search diligently for water, sometimes for hours every day. Sheep must be watered daily. The shepherd might find a bubbling stream for the sheep that are always on the move and needing fresh pastures every day (Ps 23:2). An old well with a quiet pool or trough close by might provide the water (Gen 29:7; 30:38; Ex 2:16). Often the shepherd carries a small pail with him, patiently filling it many times for the thirsty sheep who cannot reach the available water.

A trusted shepherd also provides loving protection for his flock. Shepherds on the Bethlehem hillsides still use a sling, made of goat's hair or leather and immortalized by David against Goliath (1 Sam 17:49). At times the shepherd will throw his rod at a stubborn, straying sheep that refuses to hear his voice. At other times he gently nudges the stray with the end of his six-foot staff, crooked at one end to fit his strong hand. Both the rod and the staff work together to protect the sheep (Ps 23:4).

The presence of the shepherd also offers comfort to the flock. David recognized this in Ps 23. Sheep are content merely to be in the same field with their shepherd; Christians are comforted by the very presence of the Lord. This thought is especially comforting when darkness overshadows the believer. Jesus is our Door; nothing can touch our lives without touching Him first. This is a perfect picture of the shepherd. He literally becomes the living door of the sheepfold. He curls up in the door or in the entrance of a cave. He puts his body between the sleeping sheep and ravenous animals or thieves.

One day Jesus the Chief Shepherd will return, gather His whole flock into one fold, and divide the sheep from the goats (Matt 25:31-33). Until that time, Jesus continues His search for every lost sheep (Matt 18:12-14). His sheep are to yield themselves to Him for His useful service until, at last, they "will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" (Ps 23:6).

SHEPHERD (from Heb. ro`eh, "one who tends," to "tend"; Grk. poimen).

Duties. The routine of the shepherd's duties appears to have been as follows: In the morning he led forth his flock from the fold (John 10:4), which he did by going before them and calling them, as is still usual in the East. Arriving at the pasturage, he watched the flock with the assistance of dogs (Job 30:1), and, should any sheep stray, he had to search for it until he found it (Ezek 34:12; Luke 15:4). He supplied them with water, either at a running stream or at troughs attached to wells (Gen 29:7; 30:38; Ex 2:16; Ps 23:2). At evening he brought them back to the fold and checked to see that none was missing by passing them "under the rod" as they entered the door of the enclosure (Lev 27:32; Ezek 20:37), checking each sheep as it passed, by a motion of the hand (Jer 33:13). Finally, he watched the entrance of the fold throughout the night, acting as gatekeeper (John 10:3). The shepherd's office thus required great watchfulness, particularly by night (Luke 2:8; cf. Nah 3:18). It also required tenderness toward the young and feeble (Isa 40:11), particularly in driving them to and from the pasturage (Gen 33:13). In large establishments there were various grades of shepherds; the highest were those "put . . . in charge" (Gen 47:6), or "chief shepherds" (cf. 1 Peter 5:4). In a royal household the title 'abbir, "chief," was bestowed on the person who held the post (1 Sam 21:7). Shepherds in Bible lands were of two varieties-those who were nomadic, and migrated to new pastures and sources of water, and those who resided in towns and tended flocks in nearby meadows.

Figurative. The shepherd is used frequently in Scripture as illustrative:

1. Of God as the Leader of Israel (Ps 77:20; 80:1).

2. Of Christ as the Good Shepherd (Ezek 34:23; Zech 13:7; Isa 40:11; John 10:14; Heb 13:20).

3. Of kings as leaders of the people (Isa 44:28; Jer 6:3; 49:19).

4. Of ministers (Jer 23:4), foolish shepherds as bad ministers (Isa 56:11; Jer 50:6; Ezek 34:2,10; Zech 11:8,15-17).

BIBLIOGRAPHY: F. F. Bruce, New Testament Development of Old Testament Themes (1969), pp.

Monday, February 29, 2016

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Saturday, February 20, 2016

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

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