"The Lord is my shepherd." Is the LORD, the God of Heaven and Earth, your shepherd? The LORD sees everything, He is the King and we are His subjects. We live in the Kingdom, but we Worship the King. The Shepherd, the Good Shepherd, knows His flocks - each one by name, and HE is intimately acquainted with their ways.
"I shall not want" - In Christ there is no lack of substance, He provides and He guides. He places His sheep in green fields where there is abundance of grain.
"He makes me lie down"- God does not force the sheep to lie down. When sheep are well fed, and when they are free from fear, then they simply lie down. When they see the Shepherd in the field, and after they have eaten and are full, then they lie down.
"In green pastures" - God knows, the Good Shepherd knows where the pastures of lush green are located. He may have even ben the one who planted the grass, or the one who sowed the seed for it to come up. The shepherd wants the best for His sheep. Our God is rich! We belong to Him.
"He leads me beside the still (quiet) waters." Sheep are funny little creatures, and they are very fearful. A child could run across the field and they would all scatter. They will not drink from noisy, or rushing waters. The water must be still. A great book to read on this is "A Shepherd looks at Psalm 23" by Phillip W. Keller. Another good book is "Manners and Customs of Bible Lands" by Fred Wight, published in 1957. His chapter on "Care of the Sheep and Goats" is my main source for these little tid bits.
"He restores my soul" - He takes care of the physical body, the needs of the flesh are met. Sheep need food and water to live. The Shepherd provides for the needs of the Sheep.
"He guides me" - The Shepherd leads, the sheep follow. Sheep are dumb animals. If one sheep wanders off a cliff, the rest will follow. Where the Shepherd goes, when He calls to them and they begin to follow, they go with the shepherd. Psalms 32:8 says that "He will guide us along the best pathway for our life." As one of His sheep, I take great comfort in that verse. We do NOT lead, HE does. That must mean that we must follow Him, not vice versa.
"In paths of righteousness" - This is not a common path. His path is the right path. When we follow Him, we are taking a path of righteousness. Note: It is not a "path" of righteousness, but rather "paths" of righteousness. This does not mean that there are "many paths to God," but that there are many paths for the righteous to walk upon. There are different levels of grazing with sheep, and there are various levels of maturity in Christ. As the sheep get older, I'm sure that their diet must change to some degree. Sometimes the sheep have to walk down a path to get to another field, or to another pasture. Seasons change, and we do not always stay put forever. The shepherd allows us the freedom to move around.
"For His name's sake" - The sheep have a brand that signifies the name of their owner. The shepherd does not tend everyone's sheep, only those who belong to him or to His Father. Shepherd's are often young men or boys who are "sent into the field" to watch over the sheep for their Father. Such was the case of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Jesus. The customs in Israel have not changed in over 2000 years. The Shepherds were in the field the night of Jesus' birth. It was the "Angel of the Lord" that appeared to them first.
"Even though I walk through the valley" - We do the walking. When the Shepherd moves, the sheep follow Him. There are always exclusions in the law, for nothing is chiseled in stone (except the ten commandments). When sheep are young, they often run away. If this happens too often, the Shepherd breaks their hind legs. This is painful, but He knows it will heal. He has done this many times, and there are lessons to be learned. This is a time when the sheep get to "know" their Shepherd. The sheep may not realize it at the time, but he (or she) is about to learn the heart or nature of the Shepherd. Once this is known, the sheep will never run away again. The sheep, now that the legs are broken, has to be carried by the Shepherd. The Shepherd knows what to do. A "relationship" is about to begin between Him and the sheep. He carries the sheep around His neck. The sheep may urinate of defecate on Him, but that is what animals do when they are fearful. When He stops, he places the sheep or lamb beside Him, and feeds this little one by hand. He strokes it, he plays the harp or flute for it, He hears and gets to know "His Master's Voice."
"of the shadow of death" - This may often feel like they are going to die. It is NOT death, just a shadow. A shadow does not kill, the real does. A shadow follows something, or hides behind it. This process may feel like death, but it is not the real death. Sometimes the real is not nearly as scary as the imagined, and I believe this is what the writer means. Children often wail like they are being killed, but when they realize, "Hey, that wasn't so bad!," then they go about their business.
"I will fear no evil." Fear hath torment. When the sheep know the shepherd, when they see Him and know He will take care of them, even if they are attacked - they simply "cry out" to Him and they are safe. When there is no fear, they lie down. Perfect love, knowledge of the Holy - the Good Shepherd, casts out all fear.
"For Thou art with me" - His name is Emmanuel, Deus Nobiscum, the God who is with us. He never leaves His sheep unattended or uncared for. The Good Shepherd always makes provision for His sheep. They are secure in Him.
"Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me." Why is this in scripture? Why do we gloss over or pass this by? It is because we do not know the tools of the shepherd. The shepherd carries a bag called a "scrip" and into this bag went dried fruit, raisins, fig cakes, dates, almonds, and once some rocks for a shepherd named "David." The shepherd carried a sling too. The rod eventually became the scepter of the King. It looked like a pointed stick with ball on one end. This was often used like a club. It was used to beat off foxes, lions, tigers, bears, etc...the enemy of the sheep. Through the ball end were often driven a nail or nails. These nails would sink into the skull of the animal that was attacking and it would "pith" them off. It would crack their skull, leaving the animal dead, dying, or maimed in some way. The only time it would be used on the sheep would be when the shepherd would could count the sheep. The tenth one would be "marked" with ink. Every tenth sheep would be offered as a sacrifice. God determined this and it was random. Sometimes the favorites had to go to God. The staff was the support for the shepherd. It would be used to "tap" the sides of the sheep to get them back on the right track. The crook end as often used to draw the sheep to them Good Shepherd for inspection. They would pass by the shepherd and He would "hook" them. There was no getting away from Him. During this time He might apply a paste or balm to the head of the sheep, or some type of oil or paste around the eyes, ears, and nose of the sheep. This kept away the enemy too. Sometimes, the sheep were drawn by love, just to be hugged, scratch the ears, etc..
"Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of mine enemies." The fields were open to all animals. Jesus said "Whosoever will may come." The enemy is always welcome to come alongside, but never to attack. The sheep ate out in the field right in front of other animals - the lions, in front of the foxes, the wolves, the hyennaes, the jackals, etc... The pastures were prepared for the sheep. The sheep ate in front of their enemies, but the Good Shepherd was watching, ready to defend.
"Thou hast anointed my head with oil." I often wonder if this was Olive Oil. Everything about the Olive represents Jesus. The things of nature often depict the things of God. There was an "oil" that was applied to keep off the "Bot flies" and other evil pests that would irritate the sheep. Bot flies would lay their eggs in the nose, eyes, or ears (usually the nose or ears) of a sheep. Once inside, a barb was attached to the the wall or lining inside and they would begin to feed on the sheep. As the maggot gets bigger, it begins to twirl around inside, and the sheep begins to get irritated. If left alone, the sheep will beat his or her head against a tree or rock until it is dead. This healing balm prevents this from happening. This is a pro-active solution. This is preparation in advance. Praise God for His love which removes the pests ahead of time.
"My cup overflows." - God's abundant provision is always "more than enough." It is pressed down, shaken together, and running over.
"Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life" - because of what the shepherd does, the natural following is peace and rest. The goodness of the Good Shepherd and His mercy makes the sheep to lie down, to be content, to be at rest. It is not because of what the sheep do, but because of the goodness and mercy of the Shepherd. This will happen even to the grey head. He watches over us all the days of our lives! Can you say "Hallelujah?" Thank You Jesus!
"And I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever." This world is not our home, we are just a passin' thru! We are citizens of Heaven. One day we will live in the home of the Good Shepherd the King, like Mephibosheth. Praise God!!!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
Some thoughts on Psalms23
"The Lord" - Jesus, the King of the Universe, God, Holy Spirit, the One who rules from Heaven
(Who is your "LORD?")
"is my Shepherd" - "my" denotes belonging to, ownership
"Shepherd" - the leader in the field, the One who Oversees, Shepherds takes care of
every aspect of the Sheep, HE is the protector, defender, provider, etc...
"He makes me lie down" - NOTE: He does it. When the sheep see the Shepherd in
the field, they are "at rest." The Shepherd "causes" the sheep to lie down.
"In green Pastures" - Abundance, His provision, God's "more than enough."
"He leads me" - HE (Jesus) is the director, He leads - we follow. He goes before us...
"beside still waters" - Sheep are skiddish, they will run away from loud water, the streams must be
still or quiet. "Be still and know that I am God." Water represents the Word.
"He restores" - Note: He does the work, not us. Restore means to make new or as it was in the
beginning.
"my soul" - Identity, the essence of your being, the emotions, the embodiment of "self"
"He guides me" - the Leader, the Director, the tour guide
"in paths of righteousness" - the right way of doing things, His way, the proper or acceptable way.
"For His name's sake" - the One who signs the deed, the King, the Owner, the One who's reputation
is at stake. GOD is His office, not His name. His name is Jesus or Yahweh. The
two names (O.T. and N.T.) are enharmonic (the same). One is Greek, One is
Hebrew.
"Yea, though I walk" - We travel, we are going somewhere but are following His lead. We do the
walking, He doesn't walk for us. (Sometimes though He carries the young
sheep, but NOT the old.)
"through the valley" - we walk in "low" places, or humble places.
"of the shadow" - the is not the real, but the reflection of the real. The shadow follows the real.
"of Death" - the absence of life, the end or cessation of life. That which begins to "rot" or decay.
"I will fear no evil" - Evil does not harm the dead, the enemies of the sheep do not attack when they
see the Shepherd. The Shepherd give the sheep "security."
"For You are with me" - One who comes along by the side, (Emmanuel) "God with us." Companion.
"Your rod and staff" - two "tools" of the Shepherd: the rod was used to beat off the enemy, through its
head (ball end) were driven nails to beat off the enemy. The Staff had a "crook"
which was used to "draw" or "pull" the sheep to the Shepherd to care for their
welfare or well-being. This was for affection and protection.
"They comfort me" - Relationship with the Shepherd, the sheep who knew the Shepherd draw comfort
from these "special" times with the Shepherd.
"You prepare a table before me" - The Good Shepherd knows where the best pastures are, HE plans
ahead, He knows the times and the seasons.
"In the presence of my enemies" - Though the enemy is there, the sheep eat safely because of the Good
Shepherd. The Sheep eat right in front of their enemies.
"You anoint my head" - an ointment was prepared to keep away "Bot flies" or other "pests" which
would attack the mucus membranes. The head was the main place for unseen
enemies. This paste or oil would be a protection.
"My cup runs over" - God's more than enough, Satisfaction, at peace, never in lack.
"Surely goodness and mercy" - The Good Shepherd takes care of His flock with love and kindness, He
is tender and kind, not harsh.
"Shall follow me" - these things happen as a result of what HE does. They follow us when we follow
Him.
"All the days of my life" - from birth till death. Never a dull moment with Him!
"And I will dwell" - residence, the place where we live, abode, home, the place where we sleep.
"in the House of the Lord" - God's House, Heaven, the Eternal Home, The Palace of the King of Kings.
"forever." - forever, for eternity.
(Who is your "LORD?")
"is my Shepherd" - "my" denotes belonging to, ownership
"Shepherd" - the leader in the field, the One who Oversees, Shepherds takes care of
every aspect of the Sheep, HE is the protector, defender, provider, etc...
"He makes me lie down" - NOTE: He does it. When the sheep see the Shepherd in
the field, they are "at rest." The Shepherd "causes" the sheep to lie down.
"In green Pastures" - Abundance, His provision, God's "more than enough."
"He leads me" - HE (Jesus) is the director, He leads - we follow. He goes before us...
"beside still waters" - Sheep are skiddish, they will run away from loud water, the streams must be
still or quiet. "Be still and know that I am God." Water represents the Word.
"He restores" - Note: He does the work, not us. Restore means to make new or as it was in the
beginning.
"my soul" - Identity, the essence of your being, the emotions, the embodiment of "self"
"He guides me" - the Leader, the Director, the tour guide
"in paths of righteousness" - the right way of doing things, His way, the proper or acceptable way.
"For His name's sake" - the One who signs the deed, the King, the Owner, the One who's reputation
is at stake. GOD is His office, not His name. His name is Jesus or Yahweh. The
two names (O.T. and N.T.) are enharmonic (the same). One is Greek, One is
Hebrew.
"Yea, though I walk" - We travel, we are going somewhere but are following His lead. We do the
walking, He doesn't walk for us. (Sometimes though He carries the young
sheep, but NOT the old.)
"through the valley" - we walk in "low" places, or humble places.
"of the shadow" - the is not the real, but the reflection of the real. The shadow follows the real.
"of Death" - the absence of life, the end or cessation of life. That which begins to "rot" or decay.
"I will fear no evil" - Evil does not harm the dead, the enemies of the sheep do not attack when they
see the Shepherd. The Shepherd give the sheep "security."
"For You are with me" - One who comes along by the side, (Emmanuel) "God with us." Companion.
"Your rod and staff" - two "tools" of the Shepherd: the rod was used to beat off the enemy, through its
head (ball end) were driven nails to beat off the enemy. The Staff had a "crook"
which was used to "draw" or "pull" the sheep to the Shepherd to care for their
welfare or well-being. This was for affection and protection.
"They comfort me" - Relationship with the Shepherd, the sheep who knew the Shepherd draw comfort
from these "special" times with the Shepherd.
"You prepare a table before me" - The Good Shepherd knows where the best pastures are, HE plans
ahead, He knows the times and the seasons.
"In the presence of my enemies" - Though the enemy is there, the sheep eat safely because of the Good
Shepherd. The Sheep eat right in front of their enemies.
"You anoint my head" - an ointment was prepared to keep away "Bot flies" or other "pests" which
would attack the mucus membranes. The head was the main place for unseen
enemies. This paste or oil would be a protection.
"My cup runs over" - God's more than enough, Satisfaction, at peace, never in lack.
"Surely goodness and mercy" - The Good Shepherd takes care of His flock with love and kindness, He
is tender and kind, not harsh.
"Shall follow me" - these things happen as a result of what HE does. They follow us when we follow
Him.
"All the days of my life" - from birth till death. Never a dull moment with Him!
"And I will dwell" - residence, the place where we live, abode, home, the place where we sleep.
"in the House of the Lord" - God's House, Heaven, the Eternal Home, The Palace of the King of Kings.
"forever." - forever, for eternity.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
The Importance of Prayer
I am in the Prayer Room at IHOP in Kansas City, and it is a place filled with the glory of God. One thing that I have learned since I have been here is the importance of prayer. The things of the world fade in the light of His presence. There are different types of prayer and prayer focus, and I have seen most of them here, but not all. There are superficial prayers like "Lord Bless Me" or "Now I lay me down to sleep." Prayers of rote may be good for children, but God wants to take us deeper.
Leonard Ravenhill, Charles Finney, and a few more old time Preachers spoke of agonizing prayer. This is a very uncomfortable type of prayer, and it is gut-wrenching and when accompanied by the spirit of God, it brings much results and rewards. When we agonize over our sins, the sins of friends and family, over the sins of the past, over the sins of the nations, then we are beginning to tap into God. God is a loving Heavenly Father.
First the natural comes, and then the spiritual comes later. We begin with the known and move to the unknown. We begin by praying out of our mouths to God in times of need, in times of desperation, and then in friendship with God. Once we are Spirit-filled, the Bible says that we should pray in the spirit in tongues. We begin to groan in the spirit, things we do not understand but our Father (ABBA) knows and understands. No one ever prays too much. There are special callings in intercession, but everyone that is a believer is called to pray. God's Word tells us that HE "will never leave us, nor forsake us." (Heb.13:5b) God is our Father and our friend. He is not stuffy and HE does not judge as man judges. He loves us with an everlasting love. Man looks on the outside, but God looks on the heart.
Just what is this things that we call "Prayer." Prayer is communication (talking AND listening) to God. The Bible says that we should worship God in "spirit and in truth." His Word is God's law, "Thy Word is truth." The spirit of God is love, it is the very nature of God. The Bible says that "God is love." Love is not "self-centered" but it is "other-centered." It considers the needs and desires above the self desires and the needs of the flesh. Love sacrifices for the good of those around them. Love lays down His life for His friends and family.
Prayer is such a sacrifice. Prayer takes us from the "self life" and into the "Christ life." I guess it takes us from what we want, and it opens our eyes to the needs of others, and makes us willing to do it. When we become a spirit filled believer, the spirit of God or the spirit of Christ intercedes for others through us. Sometimes when we do not even realize it. The purposes and plans of God appear sometimes and we are caught unaware, because we are "busy" or because we are not listening. Nevertheless, God is faithful. If we are a child of God, a son or daughter of Zion, then the Shepherd is leading us and guiding us. Psalms 32:8 says that "God will lead us on the best pathway for our lives." God wants the best for His children.
We must cry out to Him. When we don't know what to do, we should pray in the spirit till a release comes in the spirit. If we cannot find God, then we need to Worship Him. When we Worship God, He finds us. The Bible tells us that "The Father seeks such to Worship Him in spirit and in truth" (paraphrased)
Intercession and Worship walk hand in hand, like male and female. Out of the heart springs "rivers of living water." These waters are the Word of God which springs up in Worship and via intercession. The Word of God erupts, it springs forth, it shoots forth through the lips and brings health, healing, produces joy unspeakable and full of glory, and in the church everyone shouts "Glory!" All of our springs are in Him.
My prayer for all of us is that we would know Him as the Son knew the Father. Jesus only did what He heard the Father do. Sometimes that means separating your "self of body" from the crowd. In Him, we follow the cloud and not the crowd. In Him, we walk to the tune of a different drummer. God speaks, then we move. We wait upon God. First comes the directions or instructions from God, then we follow His command. For some, like me and you, this is a life long lesson. It will all be worthwhile when we get to Heaven.
Leonard Ravenhill, Charles Finney, and a few more old time Preachers spoke of agonizing prayer. This is a very uncomfortable type of prayer, and it is gut-wrenching and when accompanied by the spirit of God, it brings much results and rewards. When we agonize over our sins, the sins of friends and family, over the sins of the past, over the sins of the nations, then we are beginning to tap into God. God is a loving Heavenly Father.
First the natural comes, and then the spiritual comes later. We begin with the known and move to the unknown. We begin by praying out of our mouths to God in times of need, in times of desperation, and then in friendship with God. Once we are Spirit-filled, the Bible says that we should pray in the spirit in tongues. We begin to groan in the spirit, things we do not understand but our Father (ABBA) knows and understands. No one ever prays too much. There are special callings in intercession, but everyone that is a believer is called to pray. God's Word tells us that HE "will never leave us, nor forsake us." (Heb.13:5b) God is our Father and our friend. He is not stuffy and HE does not judge as man judges. He loves us with an everlasting love. Man looks on the outside, but God looks on the heart.
Just what is this things that we call "Prayer." Prayer is communication (talking AND listening) to God. The Bible says that we should worship God in "spirit and in truth." His Word is God's law, "Thy Word is truth." The spirit of God is love, it is the very nature of God. The Bible says that "God is love." Love is not "self-centered" but it is "other-centered." It considers the needs and desires above the self desires and the needs of the flesh. Love sacrifices for the good of those around them. Love lays down His life for His friends and family.
Prayer is such a sacrifice. Prayer takes us from the "self life" and into the "Christ life." I guess it takes us from what we want, and it opens our eyes to the needs of others, and makes us willing to do it. When we become a spirit filled believer, the spirit of God or the spirit of Christ intercedes for others through us. Sometimes when we do not even realize it. The purposes and plans of God appear sometimes and we are caught unaware, because we are "busy" or because we are not listening. Nevertheless, God is faithful. If we are a child of God, a son or daughter of Zion, then the Shepherd is leading us and guiding us. Psalms 32:8 says that "God will lead us on the best pathway for our lives." God wants the best for His children.
We must cry out to Him. When we don't know what to do, we should pray in the spirit till a release comes in the spirit. If we cannot find God, then we need to Worship Him. When we Worship God, He finds us. The Bible tells us that "The Father seeks such to Worship Him in spirit and in truth" (paraphrased)
Intercession and Worship walk hand in hand, like male and female. Out of the heart springs "rivers of living water." These waters are the Word of God which springs up in Worship and via intercession. The Word of God erupts, it springs forth, it shoots forth through the lips and brings health, healing, produces joy unspeakable and full of glory, and in the church everyone shouts "Glory!" All of our springs are in Him.
My prayer for all of us is that we would know Him as the Son knew the Father. Jesus only did what He heard the Father do. Sometimes that means separating your "self of body" from the crowd. In Him, we follow the cloud and not the crowd. In Him, we walk to the tune of a different drummer. God speaks, then we move. We wait upon God. First comes the directions or instructions from God, then we follow His command. For some, like me and you, this is a life long lesson. It will all be worthwhile when we get to Heaven.
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