“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23 NIV).
Let’s complete our look at what has to be David’s best known Psalm “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” This verse contains two separate but equally important thoughts.
First is the knowledge that the sheep who are lucky enough to be in the care of a conscientious shepherd know that their lot in life is one marked by the kind graces of their shepherd. No matter what comes their way, they can always be sure that goodness and mercy are in the picture!
You too can have that confidence if you know the Lord Jesus Christ and are under His care. No matter what happens you can be sure that the care you are receiving is motivated by goodness and mercy and tender love.
I wonder how many of us feel that way about Christ? It’s easy when things are going well, but what about those times when my world is falling apart, and my castles are crumbling, and my dreams are dying, can we say then, “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life?” I believe the answer to that question to be a resounding yes!
But there is another aspect to this picture. Notice it says, “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me.” Phillip Keller in his book, points out that sheep can be the most beneficial of all livestock or the most destructive — it depends upon how they are handled.
If they are managed poorly, they will devastate the land; almost beyond recovery. But if they are managed properly, they are a tremendous benefit to the land. Keller talks about how on various occasions he was allowed to graze his sheep on land that was virtually desolate. Through proper management, the land was restored to places of beauty and productivity because the sheep had been there.
I wonder what people say about us? Will they say that we leave in our paths destruction and turmoil, or will they say wherever we go, goodness and mercy marks our path? Keller writes: “Do I leave behind peace in lives — or turmoil? Do I leave behind forgiveness — or bitterness? Do I leave behind contentment — or conflict? Do I leave behind flowers of joy — or frustration? Do I leave behind love — or rancor?”
Good questions. What are you leaving behind? What am I leaving behind? Goodness and mercy or griping and misery?
The 23rd Psalm. A fount of wisdom, peace, security, truth, and love. Perhaps you are here today, and you have wondered away from the Good Shepherd, you have jumped fence so to speak, and are now far from the Shepherds tender care, and you realize that and you want to come back, let me tell you, the Shepherd has already left the fold and is looking just for you.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
The Table Lands
“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23 NIV).
David has not changed illustrations beginning in verse 5. The table as it is used here most likely refers to the high summer pastures which were known as “the table lands.” In these pastures grew all sorts of lush vegetation — some good, some harmful to the sheep. The shepherd would prepare these pastures by walking through them and carefully picking those plants which would be detrimental to the sheep. Similarly the Good Shepherd knows what is good for you, and He himself is preparing your lot for you.
Anointing with oil, speaks of the Shepherd’s provision for the health and comfort of his sheep.
The lush table-lands of summer were not without danger. Some were big like mountain-lions, bears and wolves. Others were small like flies, gnats and ticks. It was these small irritations which would drive the sheep to utter distraction. So the Good Shepherd would anticipate those needs and meet them by applying regularly an ointment whose main ingredient was olive oil upon the sheep.
In like manner the Good Shepherd cares for every need of His own--big and small. He knows and sees those things which are troubling to you, and He draws you close by His side and anoints you with the balm of Gilead to meet that need.
David has not changed illustrations beginning in verse 5. The table as it is used here most likely refers to the high summer pastures which were known as “the table lands.” In these pastures grew all sorts of lush vegetation — some good, some harmful to the sheep. The shepherd would prepare these pastures by walking through them and carefully picking those plants which would be detrimental to the sheep. Similarly the Good Shepherd knows what is good for you, and He himself is preparing your lot for you.
Anointing with oil, speaks of the Shepherd’s provision for the health and comfort of his sheep.
The lush table-lands of summer were not without danger. Some were big like mountain-lions, bears and wolves. Others were small like flies, gnats and ticks. It was these small irritations which would drive the sheep to utter distraction. So the Good Shepherd would anticipate those needs and meet them by applying regularly an ointment whose main ingredient was olive oil upon the sheep.
In like manner the Good Shepherd cares for every need of His own--big and small. He knows and sees those things which are troubling to you, and He draws you close by His side and anoints you with the balm of Gilead to meet that need.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
The Rod and the Staff
“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23 NIV).
We are continuing our study in Psalm 23. Our focus this morning is to complete our thought from 4b – "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." As the shepherd led his sheep through these dangerous valleys his rod and staff came into play.
The rod was a stick with a large knot on one end. Keller describes its development. “Each shepherd . . . from the first time he starts to then his . . . flock, takes special pride in the selection of the rod and staff exactly suited to his own size and strength. (For the rod the shepherd) selects a young sapling which is dug from the ground. This is carved and whittled down with great care and patience. The enlarged base of the sapling where its trunk joins its roots is shaped into a smooth rounded head of hard wood.” (Keller: A Shepherd Looks at the 23 Psalm).
The rod was used for three purposes: protection, correction, and inspection. For protection purposes the rod was not only used as a club, but shepherds practice throwing it and are skilled at propelling it with great speed and accuracy. It is, according to Keller, the shepherds main weapon of defense.
Not only was the rod used in protection of the sheep from predators, it was used to correct the sheep from error. If the shepherd observed one of his sheep wandering away on its own or approaching any form of possible danger (such as poisonous weeds, snakes, etc.,) the shepherd would throw his rod. The rod, landing in front of the sheep would startle it and send it scurrying back to the flock for safety.
At night, as the sheep would enter the enclosed pen, the shepherd would stand at the gate of the pen and use the rod to count and inspect his sheep. The sheep would pass under the rod which parted their thick wool so the shepherd could determine their cleanness, the condition of their skin and inspect the sheep for parasites, ticks, or other biting insects.
The second major tool of the shepherd, and the one which we are most familiar with is the shepherd’s staff which was a long, slender stick with a crook or hook on one end. Often we see pictures of shepherds leaning on their staffs as they watch their flock. The staff was an instrument of intimacy, guidance and rescue.
One of the primary uses of this staff is to lift a newborn lamb to gently lift and bring it to its mother if it becomes separated from her. The shepherd uses the staff, because if he lifted the lamb with his hands, his scent might cause the mother to reject the lamb which would then die. That staff was also used to draw sheep close to the shepherd that he might more carefully inspect it by rubbing it so that he could get a good feel for the sheep’s real condition.
Second the staff was used to guide the sheep. As the shepherd walked his sheep through these dangerous valleys, he might have to guide them through a particularly narrow passage. He would do so by reaching out and gently touching the sheep with the tip of the staff. Then, putting pressure on the side of the sheep, the sheep would turn along the right path. That staff’s pressure on the sheep’s side was a great comfort to these skittish animals. It assured them that the path they took was in fact the right one. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” With such a picture it is easy to see why the sheep found comfort in these tools of the shepherd.
Finally the staff was used to rescue sheep. Sheep are not only skittish creatures but they are stubborn creatures as well. That stubborness sometimes lead them into the most preposterous situations. A sheep, intent on getting to a certain blade of grass that looks particularly delicious to them might fall into a gully or into a body of water from which they cannot get out. It such circumstances the shepherds long staff is used to extricate the erring sheep from the danger it has put itself in.
Our Lord is the Good Shepherd. He too uses these instruments on us, the sheep of His pasture. Find comfort in these thoughts. He loves you enough that He longs to be near you. The Good Shepherd will protect you, correct you, inspect you, draw you close, safely guide you along the right paths, and rescue you when you wander off the path. He loves you. Trust Him.
We are continuing our study in Psalm 23. Our focus this morning is to complete our thought from 4b – "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." As the shepherd led his sheep through these dangerous valleys his rod and staff came into play.
The rod was a stick with a large knot on one end. Keller describes its development. “Each shepherd . . . from the first time he starts to then his . . . flock, takes special pride in the selection of the rod and staff exactly suited to his own size and strength. (For the rod the shepherd) selects a young sapling which is dug from the ground. This is carved and whittled down with great care and patience. The enlarged base of the sapling where its trunk joins its roots is shaped into a smooth rounded head of hard wood.” (Keller: A Shepherd Looks at the 23 Psalm).
The rod was used for three purposes: protection, correction, and inspection. For protection purposes the rod was not only used as a club, but shepherds practice throwing it and are skilled at propelling it with great speed and accuracy. It is, according to Keller, the shepherds main weapon of defense.
Not only was the rod used in protection of the sheep from predators, it was used to correct the sheep from error. If the shepherd observed one of his sheep wandering away on its own or approaching any form of possible danger (such as poisonous weeds, snakes, etc.,) the shepherd would throw his rod. The rod, landing in front of the sheep would startle it and send it scurrying back to the flock for safety.
At night, as the sheep would enter the enclosed pen, the shepherd would stand at the gate of the pen and use the rod to count and inspect his sheep. The sheep would pass under the rod which parted their thick wool so the shepherd could determine their cleanness, the condition of their skin and inspect the sheep for parasites, ticks, or other biting insects.
The second major tool of the shepherd, and the one which we are most familiar with is the shepherd’s staff which was a long, slender stick with a crook or hook on one end. Often we see pictures of shepherds leaning on their staffs as they watch their flock. The staff was an instrument of intimacy, guidance and rescue.
One of the primary uses of this staff is to lift a newborn lamb to gently lift and bring it to its mother if it becomes separated from her. The shepherd uses the staff, because if he lifted the lamb with his hands, his scent might cause the mother to reject the lamb which would then die. That staff was also used to draw sheep close to the shepherd that he might more carefully inspect it by rubbing it so that he could get a good feel for the sheep’s real condition.
Second the staff was used to guide the sheep. As the shepherd walked his sheep through these dangerous valleys, he might have to guide them through a particularly narrow passage. He would do so by reaching out and gently touching the sheep with the tip of the staff. Then, putting pressure on the side of the sheep, the sheep would turn along the right path. That staff’s pressure on the sheep’s side was a great comfort to these skittish animals. It assured them that the path they took was in fact the right one. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” With such a picture it is easy to see why the sheep found comfort in these tools of the shepherd.
Finally the staff was used to rescue sheep. Sheep are not only skittish creatures but they are stubborn creatures as well. That stubborness sometimes lead them into the most preposterous situations. A sheep, intent on getting to a certain blade of grass that looks particularly delicious to them might fall into a gully or into a body of water from which they cannot get out. It such circumstances the shepherds long staff is used to extricate the erring sheep from the danger it has put itself in.
Our Lord is the Good Shepherd. He too uses these instruments on us, the sheep of His pasture. Find comfort in these thoughts. He loves you enough that He longs to be near you. The Good Shepherd will protect you, correct you, inspect you, draw you close, safely guide you along the right paths, and rescue you when you wander off the path. He loves you. Trust Him.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
The Fearsome Valley of Death
“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23 NIV).
We are continuing our study in Psalm 23. Our focus this morning is on verse 4a – Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Death. That is not a topic we like to think about or discuss for long. Unfortunately, because of sin, death is total in every generation. Lewis once observed that death does not increase in time of war, it is 100% in every generation. He’s right. One out of one dies. So while we may not want to think of death, its presence is painfully real. Gregory Zilburg, a prominent Psychologist said, “Fear of death is present in our mental functioning at all times.”
Death is not always a “sweet release” as some Christian writers have said. The Bible describes death as “the last enemy.” (See 1 Corinthians 15:26).
Now David, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (and I cannot emphasize this enough. The Bible is not man’s word it is God’s Word.), says something very interesting about death. He says it is but a shadow.
George Sweeting, President emeritus of Moody Bible Institute use to say about this passage. “Just as the shadow of a gun can shoot you, or the shadow of a knife can’t stab you, so for the Christian, death is nothing but a passing shadow–it can’t hurt you.” He’s right. The shadow may be dark and scary, but in that hour of our greatest need, Jesus Christ promises to be with us. The Good Shepherd will not let those of us who know Him venture through that dark valley alone!
One more thought along these lines. Often we use this Psalm in funerals. Death is the final enemy. But I think that there is more going on here than a reference to death. The sheep are not going to death, they are going through a valley fraught with dangers, fraught with fear and they normally would be scared to death! (Remember we talked about scared sheep in our study of the first verse of this wonderful passage). These sheep, by all accounts, should be scared to death, but they are not. Why not? The shepherd is with them.
I don’t know what dark valley you may be in this morning. I do know you are not there alone. The Good Shepherd is right there with you, leading you, guiding you, guarding you, keeping you, and he will deliver you safely out the other side. Count on it! Even in death, the believer has nothing to fear. Christ promises to be with us. Take heart!
We are continuing our study in Psalm 23. Our focus this morning is on verse 4a – Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Death. That is not a topic we like to think about or discuss for long. Unfortunately, because of sin, death is total in every generation. Lewis once observed that death does not increase in time of war, it is 100% in every generation. He’s right. One out of one dies. So while we may not want to think of death, its presence is painfully real. Gregory Zilburg, a prominent Psychologist said, “Fear of death is present in our mental functioning at all times.”
Death is not always a “sweet release” as some Christian writers have said. The Bible describes death as “the last enemy.” (See 1 Corinthians 15:26).
Now David, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (and I cannot emphasize this enough. The Bible is not man’s word it is God’s Word.), says something very interesting about death. He says it is but a shadow.
George Sweeting, President emeritus of Moody Bible Institute use to say about this passage. “Just as the shadow of a gun can shoot you, or the shadow of a knife can’t stab you, so for the Christian, death is nothing but a passing shadow–it can’t hurt you.” He’s right. The shadow may be dark and scary, but in that hour of our greatest need, Jesus Christ promises to be with us. The Good Shepherd will not let those of us who know Him venture through that dark valley alone!
One more thought along these lines. Often we use this Psalm in funerals. Death is the final enemy. But I think that there is more going on here than a reference to death. The sheep are not going to death, they are going through a valley fraught with dangers, fraught with fear and they normally would be scared to death! (Remember we talked about scared sheep in our study of the first verse of this wonderful passage). These sheep, by all accounts, should be scared to death, but they are not. Why not? The shepherd is with them.
I don’t know what dark valley you may be in this morning. I do know you are not there alone. The Good Shepherd is right there with you, leading you, guiding you, guarding you, keeping you, and he will deliver you safely out the other side. Count on it! Even in death, the believer has nothing to fear. Christ promises to be with us. Take heart!
Monday, October 19, 2009
From Valley to Mountain
“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23 NIV).
We are continuing our study in Psalm 23. Our focus this morning is on verse 4b – Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
The picture David is painting for us in this verse involves it seems the movement of the flock from their winter pasture to their summer pasture. In that journey, they had to go through dangerous territory. David describes it as “the valley of the shadow of death.” Some commentators believe that this is a description of an actual chasm that David may have had to lead his sheep through–a chasm where wild animals could hide in ambush, a chasm where the sudden rise of waters could become a deadly torrent, a chasm that was deep and dark.
Phillip Keller says, “In the Christian life we often speak of wanting ‘to move to higher ground with God.’ How we long to live above the lowlands of life. We want to get beyond the common crowd, to enter a more intimate walk with God. We speak of mountaintop experiences and we envy those who have ascended the heights and entered into this more sublime sort of life.
“Often we get an erroneous ides about how this takes place. It is as though we imagined we could be ‘air lifted’ onto higher ground. On the rough trail of the Christian life this is not so. As with ordinary sheep management, so with God’s people, one only gains higher ground by climbing up through the valleys.
“Every mountain has its valleys. Its sides are scarred by deep ravines and gulches and draws. And the best route to the top is always along these valleys.” (Keller: “A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23" Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapid MI 1970 pp. 83-84).
Now, it is through these dangerous valleys that the shepherd’s rod and staff come into play. The rod was an instrument of protection, correction, and inspection while the staff was an instrument of intimacy, guidance and rescue. Tomorrow we will look closer at these two important tools of the shepherd’s trade.
Here’s what I know, The Good Shepherd is in that valley He has put you in. Did you catch that? We often try to protect God from the hard things of life. How silly. He who is all-knowing and all-powerful doesn’t need the protection of we who are limited and weak! We need His help, He doesn’t need ours! Burn that thought into you heart. If you are in a valley right now, you can be sure that it is a valley that the Good Shepherd has chosen for the purpose of getting you safely to higher ground. Don’t panic, follow. Even the sheep know that those valleys of deep shadows (through which none of them would go willingly because of their skittish natures) is a safe passage as long as the Shepherd is with them. So is your valley.
We are continuing our study in Psalm 23. Our focus this morning is on verse 4b – Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
The picture David is painting for us in this verse involves it seems the movement of the flock from their winter pasture to their summer pasture. In that journey, they had to go through dangerous territory. David describes it as “the valley of the shadow of death.” Some commentators believe that this is a description of an actual chasm that David may have had to lead his sheep through–a chasm where wild animals could hide in ambush, a chasm where the sudden rise of waters could become a deadly torrent, a chasm that was deep and dark.
Phillip Keller says, “In the Christian life we often speak of wanting ‘to move to higher ground with God.’ How we long to live above the lowlands of life. We want to get beyond the common crowd, to enter a more intimate walk with God. We speak of mountaintop experiences and we envy those who have ascended the heights and entered into this more sublime sort of life.
“Often we get an erroneous ides about how this takes place. It is as though we imagined we could be ‘air lifted’ onto higher ground. On the rough trail of the Christian life this is not so. As with ordinary sheep management, so with God’s people, one only gains higher ground by climbing up through the valleys.
“Every mountain has its valleys. Its sides are scarred by deep ravines and gulches and draws. And the best route to the top is always along these valleys.” (Keller: “A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23" Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapid MI 1970 pp. 83-84).
Now, it is through these dangerous valleys that the shepherd’s rod and staff come into play. The rod was an instrument of protection, correction, and inspection while the staff was an instrument of intimacy, guidance and rescue. Tomorrow we will look closer at these two important tools of the shepherd’s trade.
Here’s what I know, The Good Shepherd is in that valley He has put you in. Did you catch that? We often try to protect God from the hard things of life. How silly. He who is all-knowing and all-powerful doesn’t need the protection of we who are limited and weak! We need His help, He doesn’t need ours! Burn that thought into you heart. If you are in a valley right now, you can be sure that it is a valley that the Good Shepherd has chosen for the purpose of getting you safely to higher ground. Don’t panic, follow. Even the sheep know that those valleys of deep shadows (through which none of them would go willingly because of their skittish natures) is a safe passage as long as the Shepherd is with them. So is your valley.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Apologia
More often than not I listen to the talk radio programs in my car instead of music. It seems like the playlist of the radio stations runs the same songs over and over again until I find myself disliking a song that at one point I really liked. Anyway, I was listening to a radio program on the way to work and it was one I had not listened to before. The guys doing the commentary portion were amiable enough and had touched on some interesting political discussion, but then the subject turned to faith. One of the fellows said he didn’t buy into “book based” religion. And he added that “if God was going to give us something in written form, it would be something of an astounding scientific nature that would confirm His existence.” I think the DJ was right and wrong. The Bible does present certain facts about creation that would have been astounding to the first readers and generations of readers, but I think he is wrong in that God would give us purely science when what we needed most was redemption.
The ideas and truths of the Bible that speak of the intricacies of His creation would have been hard to understand to the original readers. Not only that, some of its assertions has been hard to grasp for thousands of years. Think of what the Bible says about blood. Blood has been referred to as “our red river of life.” But it wasn’t until 1628 that the medical doctor William Harvey discovered that human blood circulates. Physicians had long developed their own theories about blood and how it was related to a person’s overall health. Consequently, the practice of draining small amounts of blood from a sick person came about to get rid of the “bad blood.” America’s first president died from a series of blood letting in an attempt to make him well. Could it be that ever since that time the politicians have been bleeding us to death to get even? Sorry, I couldn’t resist that last statement.
The truth about the nature of our physiology was given to us thousands of years before Washington or Harvey. Moses wrote in Leviticus 17:14 that “the life is in the blood.” The blood is the life of all flesh. It is only in the past few centuries that this was not considered an astounding revelation, but at its inception it was millennia ahead of any science. One of the reasons I trust the Word of God is because these types of facts are verified throughout its pages. Sometimes they are immediately verified, and some times it takes awhile for man-made science to discover its truth.
The ideas and truths of the Bible that speak of the intricacies of His creation would have been hard to understand to the original readers. Not only that, some of its assertions has been hard to grasp for thousands of years. Think of what the Bible says about blood. Blood has been referred to as “our red river of life.” But it wasn’t until 1628 that the medical doctor William Harvey discovered that human blood circulates. Physicians had long developed their own theories about blood and how it was related to a person’s overall health. Consequently, the practice of draining small amounts of blood from a sick person came about to get rid of the “bad blood.” America’s first president died from a series of blood letting in an attempt to make him well. Could it be that ever since that time the politicians have been bleeding us to death to get even? Sorry, I couldn’t resist that last statement.
The truth about the nature of our physiology was given to us thousands of years before Washington or Harvey. Moses wrote in Leviticus 17:14 that “the life is in the blood.” The blood is the life of all flesh. It is only in the past few centuries that this was not considered an astounding revelation, but at its inception it was millennia ahead of any science. One of the reasons I trust the Word of God is because these types of facts are verified throughout its pages. Sometimes they are immediately verified, and some times it takes awhile for man-made science to discover its truth.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Leading the Right Way
“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23 NIV).
“He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” The paths of righteousness here mean simply, “right paths.” The Good Shepherd will not lead you down the wrong path, though sometimes in might look like it.
The picture presented in this part of verse 3 is a picture of the shepherd is moving his flock from their winter quarters to their summer lands. To do that, he takes them along a predetermined course.
Sheep are creatures of habit. If left alone they will always follow the same path, and in doing so, they will ruin their own land. People are creatures of habit as well. If left alone we will always follow the same path. Someone once said that “the definition of insanity is doing the same things that same way and expecting different results.” It doesn’t take long before one realizes we all are insane to some extent. For instance, with all the clinical studies done on the dangers of smoking, smokers persist in their habit and then seem surprised when they develop lung disease or heart disease.
When it comes to the habits of sheep (and of people), the skilled shepherd knows that his sheep, by nature will want to always travel the same pathway. The shepherd knows that this is not only bad for the land since soon that route would be barren, but it is also bad for the sheep who may not even be aware of the stalking wolf, or lion who soon come to recognize that pattern and could easily lie in wait. The good shepherd precludes both possibilities by careful planning and alternate routing.
But there is another truth to this beautiful picture. The shepherd doesn’t just “map” his route, he takes it before he takes his sheep along that route–he knows what dangers may lie along that route because he has been there!
There are some marvelous verses in Hebrews 4. Let me remind you of them: “14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV). That is how the writer of Hebrews put it. David said the same thing this way: “He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”
One final thought. Notice that immediately after this phrase, “He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Comes the familiar “4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Now remember, verse 4 comes after the promise that the Good Shepherd will never lead us wrong!
I don’t know what you may be facing today, but I know this, if you know Jesus as your personal Savior, you can relax knowing that the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise, and loving Good Shepherd not only knows the path you take, but He’s scouted it out before hand and knows exactly why He is leading you along that path and where that pathway will end!
“He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” The paths of righteousness here mean simply, “right paths.” The Good Shepherd will not lead you down the wrong path, though sometimes in might look like it.
The picture presented in this part of verse 3 is a picture of the shepherd is moving his flock from their winter quarters to their summer lands. To do that, he takes them along a predetermined course.
Sheep are creatures of habit. If left alone they will always follow the same path, and in doing so, they will ruin their own land. People are creatures of habit as well. If left alone we will always follow the same path. Someone once said that “the definition of insanity is doing the same things that same way and expecting different results.” It doesn’t take long before one realizes we all are insane to some extent. For instance, with all the clinical studies done on the dangers of smoking, smokers persist in their habit and then seem surprised when they develop lung disease or heart disease.
When it comes to the habits of sheep (and of people), the skilled shepherd knows that his sheep, by nature will want to always travel the same pathway. The shepherd knows that this is not only bad for the land since soon that route would be barren, but it is also bad for the sheep who may not even be aware of the stalking wolf, or lion who soon come to recognize that pattern and could easily lie in wait. The good shepherd precludes both possibilities by careful planning and alternate routing.
But there is another truth to this beautiful picture. The shepherd doesn’t just “map” his route, he takes it before he takes his sheep along that route–he knows what dangers may lie along that route because he has been there!
There are some marvelous verses in Hebrews 4. Let me remind you of them: “14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV). That is how the writer of Hebrews put it. David said the same thing this way: “He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”
One final thought. Notice that immediately after this phrase, “He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Comes the familiar “4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Now remember, verse 4 comes after the promise that the Good Shepherd will never lead us wrong!
I don’t know what you may be facing today, but I know this, if you know Jesus as your personal Savior, you can relax knowing that the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise, and loving Good Shepherd not only knows the path you take, but He’s scouted it out before hand and knows exactly why He is leading you along that path and where that pathway will end!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
He Recasts My Soul
“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23 NIV).
We now come to verse 3 of this wonderful Psalm. We will look at it in two parts. “He restores my soul.” Only God can restore the soul. Has He restored your soul?
David, in this Psalm is make a comparison between the job he knew–the job of the shepherd, and the care of the Lord for us. That is a great principle of education–we always move from the known to the unknown.
With this comparison in mind, what does David mean by this simple phrase, “He restores my soul?” Great question! Glad I asked it ☺! The Hebrew here is “He recasts my soul.” That doesn’t mean much to us either until we understand something about sheep.
Sometimes sheep tip over. In shepherd terminology, a sheep in this condition is said to be a cast sheep. A “cast” sheep is one that has laid down and then lost his center of gravity. His feet have come off the ground, and he has rolled onto his back. A sheep left in this condition is a pitiful sight. He’s thrashing and kicking, desperately trying it regain his footing which is now impossible for him without help. When they are in that fallen condition like fallen man there is no way they can right themselves. They are, as the saying goes, down for the count. In the case of sheep that is literal. For this fallen sheep can do nothing but lay there and die.
There are reasons a sheep may become cast. His wool may not be properly trimmed and this cause him to tip over. Or, the grass may be too deep or soft. It is not that they stumbled and fell necessarily. More often then not, the sheep lay down unaware of the danger. Many a believer has made his or her “bed” in a similar fashion. They thought they could lie down in some sin and then get up anytime they chose to–too late they have learned that the sin that brought them comfort now holds them in a grip of death.
The picture our passage paints is one of the shepherd, who is constantly on the look-out for cast sheep. Spotting that cast sheep he comes along side that sheep, then, tenderly and carefully helping the sheep to his feet, and then lovingly massages the legs until the sheep can once again stand on it’s own.
Phillip Keller, in his masterful book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, writes: “Many people have the idea that when a child of God falls, when he is frustrated and helpless in a spiritual dilemma, God becomes disgusted, fed-up and even furious with him. This is not so. One of the great revelations of the heart of God given to us by Christ is that of Himself as our Shepherd. He has the same identical anxiety, concern and compassion for cast men and women as (a shepherd) has for cast sheep. This is precisely why He looked on people with such pathos and compassion. It explains His magnanimous dealing with down-and-out individuals for whom even human society had no use. It reveals why He wept over those who spurned His affection. It discloses the depth of His understanding of undone people to whom He came eagerly and quickly, ready to help, to save, to restore.”
That’s the God we serve. He is not some vengeful, spiteful God, waiting to slap you down for your failures, He is the Good Shepherd, ever mindful of the danger of His own becoming cast, ever willing to lovingly, and immediately recast your soul and restore you to proper fellowship.
We’ll pick up the second part of this verse tomorrow. But let me ask you, are you one of God sheep who has become cast? If we are honest, there are times in the Christian life when we become like cast sheep, and need to be recast, need to be restored. The thing we need to remember is that the Good Shepherd knows our weakness, he knows our failings, and he lovingly restores us when we have fallen. Don’t lay there and die. Don’t hope no one will notice. Cry out to the Good Shepherd and let Him restore you.
We now come to verse 3 of this wonderful Psalm. We will look at it in two parts. “He restores my soul.” Only God can restore the soul. Has He restored your soul?
David, in this Psalm is make a comparison between the job he knew–the job of the shepherd, and the care of the Lord for us. That is a great principle of education–we always move from the known to the unknown.
With this comparison in mind, what does David mean by this simple phrase, “He restores my soul?” Great question! Glad I asked it ☺! The Hebrew here is “He recasts my soul.” That doesn’t mean much to us either until we understand something about sheep.
Sometimes sheep tip over. In shepherd terminology, a sheep in this condition is said to be a cast sheep. A “cast” sheep is one that has laid down and then lost his center of gravity. His feet have come off the ground, and he has rolled onto his back. A sheep left in this condition is a pitiful sight. He’s thrashing and kicking, desperately trying it regain his footing which is now impossible for him without help. When they are in that fallen condition like fallen man there is no way they can right themselves. They are, as the saying goes, down for the count. In the case of sheep that is literal. For this fallen sheep can do nothing but lay there and die.
There are reasons a sheep may become cast. His wool may not be properly trimmed and this cause him to tip over. Or, the grass may be too deep or soft. It is not that they stumbled and fell necessarily. More often then not, the sheep lay down unaware of the danger. Many a believer has made his or her “bed” in a similar fashion. They thought they could lie down in some sin and then get up anytime they chose to–too late they have learned that the sin that brought them comfort now holds them in a grip of death.
The picture our passage paints is one of the shepherd, who is constantly on the look-out for cast sheep. Spotting that cast sheep he comes along side that sheep, then, tenderly and carefully helping the sheep to his feet, and then lovingly massages the legs until the sheep can once again stand on it’s own.
Phillip Keller, in his masterful book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, writes: “Many people have the idea that when a child of God falls, when he is frustrated and helpless in a spiritual dilemma, God becomes disgusted, fed-up and even furious with him. This is not so. One of the great revelations of the heart of God given to us by Christ is that of Himself as our Shepherd. He has the same identical anxiety, concern and compassion for cast men and women as (a shepherd) has for cast sheep. This is precisely why He looked on people with such pathos and compassion. It explains His magnanimous dealing with down-and-out individuals for whom even human society had no use. It reveals why He wept over those who spurned His affection. It discloses the depth of His understanding of undone people to whom He came eagerly and quickly, ready to help, to save, to restore.”
That’s the God we serve. He is not some vengeful, spiteful God, waiting to slap you down for your failures, He is the Good Shepherd, ever mindful of the danger of His own becoming cast, ever willing to lovingly, and immediately recast your soul and restore you to proper fellowship.
We’ll pick up the second part of this verse tomorrow. But let me ask you, are you one of God sheep who has become cast? If we are honest, there are times in the Christian life when we become like cast sheep, and need to be recast, need to be restored. The thing we need to remember is that the Good Shepherd knows our weakness, he knows our failings, and he lovingly restores us when we have fallen. Don’t lay there and die. Don’t hope no one will notice. Cry out to the Good Shepherd and let Him restore you.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Of Sheep and Men
“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23 NIV).
In this great Psalm of comfort and trust, David compares God’s care for His children as a shepherd’s care for his sheep. Great comparison. There are many similarities between the fallen human nature and sheep. So, let’s talk about sheep.
Sheep are skittish creatures, easily frightened. Sheep share a trait with rabbits–they can be literally scared to death! Ken Davis tells of being butted once by an ornery sheep. He decided to get even, so sometime later, as the sheep were making their way back toward the pen, Ken saw this particular sheep a lesson. He collected a 2 X 4 and hid at the side of the pen. He was going to give this sheep a taste of its own medicine! As the sheep neared, oblivious to the intended punishment, Ken leapt from behind the pen with a shout, raised the intended instrument of correction over his head, but before he could administer the punishment to the erring sheep, it died of fright. Keeled over right in front of him.
With that in mind, look at the words of verse 2: “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters.” Sheep will not lie down unless they are free from fear and discomfort. So skittish are these interesting animals that they will not drink from moving water–the sound scares them. This brings us to our applications for today.
First, the fact that the Lord “makes me lie down in green pastures” speaks about the absolute rest, confidence and trust those of us who are of the Lord’s flock can have in Him. We can rest without fear of what is around us; we can rest content that the Good Shepherd has seen to our needs.
When David penned these words, those hills of Judah contained all sorts of dangers to his helpless flock. By the way, that’s another thing about sheep; they have no natural means of self-defense–no wonder they’re so skittish! Truth be told, you and I have no natural means of self-defense against the great enemy of our souls! We need the supernatural help of the Great Shepherd. Maybe this is a part of what Jesus had in mind when He said, “Apart from Me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:5 NIV emphasis mine).
My point is this. David’s sheep didn’t lie down because their were no problems, they laid down because they were confident that their shepherd had everything under control! Do you have that confidence in your Great Shepherd?
Second, “he leads me beside quiet waters.” This was a critical task for the shepherd. Because sheep will not drink from swift moving streams, they will attempt to satisfy their thirst in stagnant polluted pools unless the shepherd prevents it. The shepherd’s job then is to find pools suitable for the sheep (no small task in the arid regions of the Middle East). These pools have to be quiet, cool and clean. Quiet and cool or the sheep won’t drink. Clean and pure for the sheep’s safety. While sheep are picky when it comes to good drinking water, they are indiscriminate when it comes to befouled pools–kind of like we humans.
How many times have I seen wandering sheep from the Good Shepherd’s pasture refusing the pure refreshment of the Lord’s quiet waters and satiating themselves in the polluted waters of the world. I have also seen these (excuse the harshness) dumb sheep, sick and hurting, yet continuing to run to the polluted holes and bleating their complaints against the Shepherd! The Bible says, “A man may ruin his chances by his own foolishness and then blame it on the Lord.” (Proverbs 19:3 TLB).
Are you enjoying the peace and provision the Good Shepherd offers? Are you a content sheep in His flock or are you the complaining sheep–the fence hopper–by-passing the security of the shepherd opting instead for the knowledge that sheep know best?
In this great Psalm of comfort and trust, David compares God’s care for His children as a shepherd’s care for his sheep. Great comparison. There are many similarities between the fallen human nature and sheep. So, let’s talk about sheep.
Sheep are skittish creatures, easily frightened. Sheep share a trait with rabbits–they can be literally scared to death! Ken Davis tells of being butted once by an ornery sheep. He decided to get even, so sometime later, as the sheep were making their way back toward the pen, Ken saw this particular sheep a lesson. He collected a 2 X 4 and hid at the side of the pen. He was going to give this sheep a taste of its own medicine! As the sheep neared, oblivious to the intended punishment, Ken leapt from behind the pen with a shout, raised the intended instrument of correction over his head, but before he could administer the punishment to the erring sheep, it died of fright. Keeled over right in front of him.
With that in mind, look at the words of verse 2: “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters.” Sheep will not lie down unless they are free from fear and discomfort. So skittish are these interesting animals that they will not drink from moving water–the sound scares them. This brings us to our applications for today.
First, the fact that the Lord “makes me lie down in green pastures” speaks about the absolute rest, confidence and trust those of us who are of the Lord’s flock can have in Him. We can rest without fear of what is around us; we can rest content that the Good Shepherd has seen to our needs.
When David penned these words, those hills of Judah contained all sorts of dangers to his helpless flock. By the way, that’s another thing about sheep; they have no natural means of self-defense–no wonder they’re so skittish! Truth be told, you and I have no natural means of self-defense against the great enemy of our souls! We need the supernatural help of the Great Shepherd. Maybe this is a part of what Jesus had in mind when He said, “Apart from Me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:5 NIV emphasis mine).
My point is this. David’s sheep didn’t lie down because their were no problems, they laid down because they were confident that their shepherd had everything under control! Do you have that confidence in your Great Shepherd?
Second, “he leads me beside quiet waters.” This was a critical task for the shepherd. Because sheep will not drink from swift moving streams, they will attempt to satisfy their thirst in stagnant polluted pools unless the shepherd prevents it. The shepherd’s job then is to find pools suitable for the sheep (no small task in the arid regions of the Middle East). These pools have to be quiet, cool and clean. Quiet and cool or the sheep won’t drink. Clean and pure for the sheep’s safety. While sheep are picky when it comes to good drinking water, they are indiscriminate when it comes to befouled pools–kind of like we humans.
How many times have I seen wandering sheep from the Good Shepherd’s pasture refusing the pure refreshment of the Lord’s quiet waters and satiating themselves in the polluted waters of the world. I have also seen these (excuse the harshness) dumb sheep, sick and hurting, yet continuing to run to the polluted holes and bleating their complaints against the Shepherd! The Bible says, “A man may ruin his chances by his own foolishness and then blame it on the Lord.” (Proverbs 19:3 TLB).
Are you enjoying the peace and provision the Good Shepherd offers? Are you a content sheep in His flock or are you the complaining sheep–the fence hopper–by-passing the security of the shepherd opting instead for the knowledge that sheep know best?
Monday, October 12, 2009
The Good Shepherd
“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23 NIV).
No other Scripture is better known or more quoted then this wonderful shepherd Psalm of David. Ryrie introduces this Psalm, “In his most beautiful song of trust, David pictures the Lord as the great Shepherd who provides for and protects His sheep (vv. 1-4) and as the gracious Host who protects and provides abundantly for His guests (vv.5-6).
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.” Perhaps David wrote those words as he sat out under the stars, guarding and tending his father’s flock. The life of the shepherd was not an easy one. There were many cold and lonely nights–nights fraught with danger. Jesus said of Himself, “11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” (John 10:11-14 NIV).
During these daily thoughts we will be examining this wonderful passage from the Psalms. But let me begin by asking you a simple question: Do you personally know the Good Shepherd? I am not asking you if you know about Him, I am asking you if you know Him? Those who know Him know that He will tenderly care for them in their every circumstance. They know what it is to “not be in want,” or if I may paraphrase that a little, to be satisfied with Him and not wanting more; not desiring something else.
I run into believers all the time who are wandering sheep (shepherds call them fence hoppers). For these sheep there is always something better in the next pasture. They are not satisfied being under the care of the good shepherd, they want to explore what’s outside the fence. The sad thing about fence hoppers is that they teach other sheep to follow, leaving the safety of the shepherd and wandering into a world lurking with danger. I have counseled many of these fence hoppers. Here’s what I know: not one of them will ever be convinced that they should stay in the fold when they are in the fold. They look longingly beyond the fences of protection and desire the freedom of the world. Sadly, the story doesn’t end there. Not one of these fence hoppers ever find what they are looking for. Instead the discover the barrenness and emptiness of the lost and dying world, and I have seen these fence hoppers come sadly back to the fold sick and emaciated by sin, wounded and bleeding and bearing scars they would have never had to bear had they but trusted the Good Shepherd and learned what it is “not to want.”
Perhaps someone reading these words today is grazing at a fence, head down but eyes focused covertly on some dead and dry pasture just outside the fence. What can it hurt? You may be musing. I implore you, pick up your head and run that straying sheep body immediately to the arms of the Good Shepherd. There you will find all you really need; apart from Him you will find nothing you need.
No other Scripture is better known or more quoted then this wonderful shepherd Psalm of David. Ryrie introduces this Psalm, “In his most beautiful song of trust, David pictures the Lord as the great Shepherd who provides for and protects His sheep (vv. 1-4) and as the gracious Host who protects and provides abundantly for His guests (vv.5-6).
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.” Perhaps David wrote those words as he sat out under the stars, guarding and tending his father’s flock. The life of the shepherd was not an easy one. There were many cold and lonely nights–nights fraught with danger. Jesus said of Himself, “11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” (John 10:11-14 NIV).
During these daily thoughts we will be examining this wonderful passage from the Psalms. But let me begin by asking you a simple question: Do you personally know the Good Shepherd? I am not asking you if you know about Him, I am asking you if you know Him? Those who know Him know that He will tenderly care for them in their every circumstance. They know what it is to “not be in want,” or if I may paraphrase that a little, to be satisfied with Him and not wanting more; not desiring something else.
I run into believers all the time who are wandering sheep (shepherds call them fence hoppers). For these sheep there is always something better in the next pasture. They are not satisfied being under the care of the good shepherd, they want to explore what’s outside the fence. The sad thing about fence hoppers is that they teach other sheep to follow, leaving the safety of the shepherd and wandering into a world lurking with danger. I have counseled many of these fence hoppers. Here’s what I know: not one of them will ever be convinced that they should stay in the fold when they are in the fold. They look longingly beyond the fences of protection and desire the freedom of the world. Sadly, the story doesn’t end there. Not one of these fence hoppers ever find what they are looking for. Instead the discover the barrenness and emptiness of the lost and dying world, and I have seen these fence hoppers come sadly back to the fold sick and emaciated by sin, wounded and bleeding and bearing scars they would have never had to bear had they but trusted the Good Shepherd and learned what it is “not to want.”
Perhaps someone reading these words today is grazing at a fence, head down but eyes focused covertly on some dead and dry pasture just outside the fence. What can it hurt? You may be musing. I implore you, pick up your head and run that straying sheep body immediately to the arms of the Good Shepherd. There you will find all you really need; apart from Him you will find nothing you need.
Friday, October 9, 2009
When Crying Gives Way to Praise
“22 Here’s the story I’ll tell my friends when they come to worship, and punctuate it with Hallelujahs: 23 Shout Hallelujah, you God-worshipers; give glory, you sons of Jacob; adore him, you daughters of Israel. 24 He has never let you down, never looked the other way when you were being kicked around. He has never wandered off to do his own thing; he has been right there, listening.” (Psalm 22:22-24 MSG).
I am convinced that all eternity will not be enough time to praise God for what He has done for us. Now I know that last statement is somewhat non-sensical; eternity and time are two different things. Time ends, eternity does not. Never-the-less, my point is valid. I will never be able to repay the debt of praise I owe to the loving Heavenly Father for the sacrifice of the Son or the indwelling power of the precious Holy Spirit.
In the experiences of this fallen, temporary state of our existence, there seems to be times when it at least appears as if He who never slumbers or sleep has wandered off or has let us down. Again, recall to mind that the setting of this Psalm is the shadow of the cross when the precious Son was giving up His life. (Peterson in The Message quoted above correctly applies this passage to all God’s children–Israel in context but you and I by extension–while the NIV references these words to the Messiah, “the afflicted one.”) These verses read in the NIV: “22 I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you. 23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! 24 For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.” Now, again, the application of this passage to all who are afflicted is correct, but recall that the setting of this Psalm is prophetic and describes particularly the suffering of the Messiah upon the cross and His victory in the resurrection.
Here is my point: as dark and hopeless as things may appear, those of us who know Christ can rest completely assured that despite what we may think, the reality is, “He has never let you down, never looked the other way when you were being kicked around. He has never wandered off to do his own thing; he has been right there, listening.”
I don’t know what battles you may face today. I do know this: no matter how hot or bloody the conflict, no matter how fatal the blow may seem, God is still right there with us and the promise of sure victory has been signed with the blood of Jesus. There is coming a day when all our groanings and cries will end with a victorious Hallelujah!
I am convinced that all eternity will not be enough time to praise God for what He has done for us. Now I know that last statement is somewhat non-sensical; eternity and time are two different things. Time ends, eternity does not. Never-the-less, my point is valid. I will never be able to repay the debt of praise I owe to the loving Heavenly Father for the sacrifice of the Son or the indwelling power of the precious Holy Spirit.
In the experiences of this fallen, temporary state of our existence, there seems to be times when it at least appears as if He who never slumbers or sleep has wandered off or has let us down. Again, recall to mind that the setting of this Psalm is the shadow of the cross when the precious Son was giving up His life. (Peterson in The Message quoted above correctly applies this passage to all God’s children–Israel in context but you and I by extension–while the NIV references these words to the Messiah, “the afflicted one.”) These verses read in the NIV: “22 I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you. 23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! 24 For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.” Now, again, the application of this passage to all who are afflicted is correct, but recall that the setting of this Psalm is prophetic and describes particularly the suffering of the Messiah upon the cross and His victory in the resurrection.
Here is my point: as dark and hopeless as things may appear, those of us who know Christ can rest completely assured that despite what we may think, the reality is, “He has never let you down, never looked the other way when you were being kicked around. He has never wandered off to do his own thing; he has been right there, listening.”
I don’t know what battles you may face today. I do know this: no matter how hot or bloody the conflict, no matter how fatal the blow may seem, God is still right there with us and the promise of sure victory has been signed with the blood of Jesus. There is coming a day when all our groanings and cries will end with a victorious Hallelujah!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Applications from a Messianic Psalm
“1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent. 3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel. 4 In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. 5 They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.” (Psalm 22:1-5 NIV).
This Psalm is prophetic and describes the suffering of the Messiah. It is one of the most quoted Psalm in the New Testament. We stated that in this Psalm of lament David expresses his complete trust and confidence in the Lord. It is easy to trust God when things are going well. It is only the trials of life that reveal the true nature of one’s faith. Can we trust Him in the difficult and dark circumstances? That is what this Psalm is about. The shadows of lament in verses 1-2 quickly fade in the light of the faith of verses 3-5.
There are times when we cry to God and He appears to be silent. Been there, done it. Will be there again before my life is over I’m sure. Those are disquieting moments. Lewis put it this way, “Meanwhile, where is God? This is one of the most disquieting symptoms. When you are happy, so happy that you have no sense of needing Him, so happy that you are tempted to feel His claims upon you as an interruption, if you remember yourself and turn to Him with gratitude and praise, you will be – or so it feels – welcomed with open arms. But go to Him when your need is desperate, when all other help is vain, and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside. After that, silence. You may as well turn away. The longer you wait, the more emphatic the silence will become. There are no lights in the windows. It might be an empty house. Was it ever inhabited? It seemed so once. And that seeming was as strong as this. What can this mean? Why is He so present a commander in our time of prosperity and so very absent in time of trouble?” {Lewis, C.S., A Grief Observed, (Bantam Books, New York, 1961, pp. 4-5) emphasis mine}.
Both David and our Lord Himself knew the agony of the Divine silence. Think of it. Jesus Himself, in His hour of greatest need cried out “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46 NIV). Certainly it must have seemed both to Him in His humanity and the onlookers surrounding Him that God had indeed deserted Him. According to this Psalm and other passages as well as historical accounts of scourging, we know that as He hung there on the cross his flesh was so torn that bones were visible (v. 17), glistening white against the torn red flesh. Further more, there He was, suspended upon a tree–certainly a sign of God’s disapproval! Deuteronomy 21:22-23 says, “22 If a man guilty of a capital offense is put to death and his body is hung on a tree, 23 you must not leave his body on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse. You must not desecrate the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.” Case closed. Jesus was condemned as being under God’s curse by the very nature of His execution. (That is why the Jews insisted on this form of execution instead of following their own Law and stoning Him for the blasphemy they claimed to condemn Him for.) All appearances were here was a deluded man who was now deserted and condemned. (We know better.)
But think of it. This was in fact the end was it not? The One they had hoped for was about to die under a Mosaic Law that assured the Jews of God’s displeasure with this Man. Talk about a hopeless situation. How could He die and yet know that His trust in the Father would not be in vain (v. 5)? Because the cross led to the grave and the grave to the resurrection and the resurrection led to the Ascension and the Ascension one day, perhaps soon, will result in a glorious return!
Our problem is that most of us have so invested our lives in the things of this world that we have lost sight of the next. Instead of “setting our minds on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:2 NIV) we have so focused on the temporary and passing things of this world and it’s no wonder that we whine like spoiled children when we don’t get our own way! (Please do not take offense at this last statement, I am guilty as well!) Until we come to realize that God’s purpose for us is beyond this life, it will be impossible for us to comprehend the sure deliverance that the Psalmist refers to in our passage. The relative ease and comfort of Western pleasures has caused 97% (according to a Barna poll) of professed believers to settle for a secular rather than a sacred mind-set. No wonder we struggle!
Think of it this way. The average American gladly spends 21 hours a week in front of a television and grudgingly gives 30 minutes a week to a sermon (One lady once complained to me that my sermons were too long. That studies have shown that 20 minutes of a message was all most adults could focus on at a time). No wonder our view is toward this life and not the things of Christ!
Enough. Let me assure you that God does hear and answer prayers. He hears and answers your prayers. Even in those times when you feel like crying, ““1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.” Be assured that you can say (and will eventually come to realize), “3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel. 4 In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. 5 They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.”
This Psalm is prophetic and describes the suffering of the Messiah. It is one of the most quoted Psalm in the New Testament. We stated that in this Psalm of lament David expresses his complete trust and confidence in the Lord. It is easy to trust God when things are going well. It is only the trials of life that reveal the true nature of one’s faith. Can we trust Him in the difficult and dark circumstances? That is what this Psalm is about. The shadows of lament in verses 1-2 quickly fade in the light of the faith of verses 3-5.
There are times when we cry to God and He appears to be silent. Been there, done it. Will be there again before my life is over I’m sure. Those are disquieting moments. Lewis put it this way, “Meanwhile, where is God? This is one of the most disquieting symptoms. When you are happy, so happy that you have no sense of needing Him, so happy that you are tempted to feel His claims upon you as an interruption, if you remember yourself and turn to Him with gratitude and praise, you will be – or so it feels – welcomed with open arms. But go to Him when your need is desperate, when all other help is vain, and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside. After that, silence. You may as well turn away. The longer you wait, the more emphatic the silence will become. There are no lights in the windows. It might be an empty house. Was it ever inhabited? It seemed so once. And that seeming was as strong as this. What can this mean? Why is He so present a commander in our time of prosperity and so very absent in time of trouble?” {Lewis, C.S., A Grief Observed, (Bantam Books, New York, 1961, pp. 4-5) emphasis mine}.
Both David and our Lord Himself knew the agony of the Divine silence. Think of it. Jesus Himself, in His hour of greatest need cried out “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46 NIV). Certainly it must have seemed both to Him in His humanity and the onlookers surrounding Him that God had indeed deserted Him. According to this Psalm and other passages as well as historical accounts of scourging, we know that as He hung there on the cross his flesh was so torn that bones were visible (v. 17), glistening white against the torn red flesh. Further more, there He was, suspended upon a tree–certainly a sign of God’s disapproval! Deuteronomy 21:22-23 says, “22 If a man guilty of a capital offense is put to death and his body is hung on a tree, 23 you must not leave his body on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse. You must not desecrate the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.” Case closed. Jesus was condemned as being under God’s curse by the very nature of His execution. (That is why the Jews insisted on this form of execution instead of following their own Law and stoning Him for the blasphemy they claimed to condemn Him for.) All appearances were here was a deluded man who was now deserted and condemned. (We know better.)
But think of it. This was in fact the end was it not? The One they had hoped for was about to die under a Mosaic Law that assured the Jews of God’s displeasure with this Man. Talk about a hopeless situation. How could He die and yet know that His trust in the Father would not be in vain (v. 5)? Because the cross led to the grave and the grave to the resurrection and the resurrection led to the Ascension and the Ascension one day, perhaps soon, will result in a glorious return!
Our problem is that most of us have so invested our lives in the things of this world that we have lost sight of the next. Instead of “setting our minds on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:2 NIV) we have so focused on the temporary and passing things of this world and it’s no wonder that we whine like spoiled children when we don’t get our own way! (Please do not take offense at this last statement, I am guilty as well!) Until we come to realize that God’s purpose for us is beyond this life, it will be impossible for us to comprehend the sure deliverance that the Psalmist refers to in our passage. The relative ease and comfort of Western pleasures has caused 97% (according to a Barna poll) of professed believers to settle for a secular rather than a sacred mind-set. No wonder we struggle!
Think of it this way. The average American gladly spends 21 hours a week in front of a television and grudgingly gives 30 minutes a week to a sermon (One lady once complained to me that my sermons were too long. That studies have shown that 20 minutes of a message was all most adults could focus on at a time). No wonder our view is toward this life and not the things of Christ!
Enough. Let me assure you that God does hear and answer prayers. He hears and answers your prayers. Even in those times when you feel like crying, ““1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.” Be assured that you can say (and will eventually come to realize), “3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel. 4 In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. 5 They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.”
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
God is with You
“11 Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.” (Psalm 22:11 NIV).
Whatever you may face today, realize that you will not face it alone–God will be with you. It may not always feel like it, but He is always there.
Realizing that God is with you, do not hesitate to call out to Him when things get difficult. He can help when no one else can.
Remember that this Psalm of David is typico-prophetic; a Messianic Psalm. The setting for this Psalm is fulfilled in Jesus on the cross. Trouble doesn’t begin to describe that setting! He is dying in physical pain and in agony of soul as the sins of the world are placed on the already dislocated shoulders. In such a position no human intervention could help. He was dying. But even in death, God can help us. When W.E. Sangster, one of England's great methodist preachers lay dying of muscular atrophy, he wrote to Dr. Billy Graham and said, "All my life I have preached that Jesus Christ is adequate for every crisis. I have but a few days to live, and oh, Billy, Christ is indeed adequate in the hours of death. Tell everyone that it is true. Tell them for me that God is wonderfully near His Children as the come to the end of life's road." (Decision Magazine April, 1974).
I contend that He who is wonderfully near even in life’s darkest hour is near to you today. Walk with Him. Talk with Him. Don’t face this day alone. Face it with Him.
Whatever you may face today, realize that you will not face it alone–God will be with you. It may not always feel like it, but He is always there.
Realizing that God is with you, do not hesitate to call out to Him when things get difficult. He can help when no one else can.
Remember that this Psalm of David is typico-prophetic; a Messianic Psalm. The setting for this Psalm is fulfilled in Jesus on the cross. Trouble doesn’t begin to describe that setting! He is dying in physical pain and in agony of soul as the sins of the world are placed on the already dislocated shoulders. In such a position no human intervention could help. He was dying. But even in death, God can help us. When W.E. Sangster, one of England's great methodist preachers lay dying of muscular atrophy, he wrote to Dr. Billy Graham and said, "All my life I have preached that Jesus Christ is adequate for every crisis. I have but a few days to live, and oh, Billy, Christ is indeed adequate in the hours of death. Tell everyone that it is true. Tell them for me that God is wonderfully near His Children as the come to the end of life's road." (Decision Magazine April, 1974).
I contend that He who is wonderfully near even in life’s darkest hour is near to you today. Walk with Him. Talk with Him. Don’t face this day alone. Face it with Him.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Don't
“11 Though they plot evil against you and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed.” (Psalm 21:11NIV).
How foolish fallen man is! To think, even for a second, that we as mere creatures, mortal and limited, could outwit, outfox and prevail over the Creator, immortal and unlimited, is lunacy! “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:13). And “. . . He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.” (1 Corinthians 4:5 NIV). How foolish to think that we who don’t know everything can fool a God who knows everything, even the thoughts and intentions of our hearts.
While we understand the lunacy of sinful man in their pitiful attempt to thwart God’s plans, what is a greater madness is the tendency of those of us who know better, who profess faith in Christ and trust in God, to do the same thing! What do I mean? While we may not plot evil against Him how many times do we try to second guess His promises? How many times do we slip into willful sin and think that we somehow are the exception to God’s rules? I have to admit there are many times when I would have to say, “Guilty as charged!”
Let me “cut to the chase” as the saying goes. Bottom line, if you want to be truly successful in this life (and the next), there is only one way to accomplish it: follow God’s instructions. Period. Don’t deviate to the right or the left. Place His Holy Word in your heart and do what it says. You will never reach success any other way.
How foolish fallen man is! To think, even for a second, that we as mere creatures, mortal and limited, could outwit, outfox and prevail over the Creator, immortal and unlimited, is lunacy! “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:13). And “. . . He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.” (1 Corinthians 4:5 NIV). How foolish to think that we who don’t know everything can fool a God who knows everything, even the thoughts and intentions of our hearts.
While we understand the lunacy of sinful man in their pitiful attempt to thwart God’s plans, what is a greater madness is the tendency of those of us who know better, who profess faith in Christ and trust in God, to do the same thing! What do I mean? While we may not plot evil against Him how many times do we try to second guess His promises? How many times do we slip into willful sin and think that we somehow are the exception to God’s rules? I have to admit there are many times when I would have to say, “Guilty as charged!”
Let me “cut to the chase” as the saying goes. Bottom line, if you want to be truly successful in this life (and the next), there is only one way to accomplish it: follow God’s instructions. Period. Don’t deviate to the right or the left. Place His Holy Word in your heart and do what it says. You will never reach success any other way.
Winning on Your Knees
“1 O Lord, in Your strength the king will be glad, And in Your salvation how greatly he will rejoice! 2 You have given him his heart’s desire, And You have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah.” (Psalm 21:1-2 NASB).
In a previous thought I asked you where you found strength. David, found his strength in the Lord. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” (Psalm 20:7 NIV). Now, in this passage David continues that thought. He begins this Psalm on a note of praise for God’s actions on his behalf. This man, one of Israel’s greatest kings, realizes in these simple words that there is no such thing as a self-made man.
Along with this praise comes a hint of the secret of David’s great success–David was a man of prayer. Did you catch that in verse 2? “You have given him his heart’s desire, And You have not withheld the request of his lips.” The victories which David mentions in this marvelous Psalm are victories won first on his knees and then on the battlefields of life!
Make it your aim to face every situation with prayer. Start each day making your requests to God and see what new victories might come your way.
In a previous thought I asked you where you found strength. David, found his strength in the Lord. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” (Psalm 20:7 NIV). Now, in this passage David continues that thought. He begins this Psalm on a note of praise for God’s actions on his behalf. This man, one of Israel’s greatest kings, realizes in these simple words that there is no such thing as a self-made man.
Along with this praise comes a hint of the secret of David’s great success–David was a man of prayer. Did you catch that in verse 2? “You have given him his heart’s desire, And You have not withheld the request of his lips.” The victories which David mentions in this marvelous Psalm are victories won first on his knees and then on the battlefields of life!
Make it your aim to face every situation with prayer. Start each day making your requests to God and see what new victories might come your way.
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