Psalm Friday

“It’s ok, little one, I’ve got you.”

Psalm Friday
Psalm 23, continued

* Pray. Ask God to give you an open heart and mind to learn new truths from His Word. Read Psalm 23 through three times. Record any thoughts or questions you have in your journal. If a verse stands out to you, write it on an index card and begin committing it to memory.

“He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still
waters.”
Psalm 23:2, NKJV

Today I invite you to stand with me beside the Good Shepherd as He watches over His flock on the lookout for those little sheep who need to feel the loving arms of their Shepherd wrapped around them and hear His voice gently whisper in their ear, “it’s ok, little one, I’ve got you.”

In my studying of this passage and the tendencies of sheep I’ve come across some very interesting facts. Because of the anatomy of a sheep it is almost impossible for them to lie down unless four requirements are met.

1. Sheep are extremely timid animals and because of this they refuse to lie down unless they are completely free from fear of any kind.
2. Sheep are social animals. If there is any friction amongst the flock they are unable to lie down and rest.
3. If not properly taken care of it is very easy for sheep to contract parasites and be bothered by flies; when this happens, they will not lie down.
4. Sheep are grazing animals- meaning they constantly graze a pasture filling up their bellies. A good shepherd will have led his sheep to pastures where their bellies can be filled to overflow. A sheep will not lie down if his belly is empty; he will persistently be in search of something to fill him up.

For sheep to lie down and rest, they must be free from fear and worry from outside entities, there must be no anxiety and friction amongst the flock, there must be no irritations from within, and they must not be hungry which could lead to the pursuit of any number of things to fill their bellies with, of which most will not be good for them. It is important for us to note here that only the shepherd can calm the heart of his sheep freeing him from the influences of others and enabling him to lie down in peace and rest. Today, let’s look more into how a sheep handles fear and worry.

When I was in middle school, my family and I lived way out in the country, and when I say country I mean dirt road, no neighbors on our side of the road for miles, critters of all kinds, kind of country. In conversation one day with Mr. Howard, a deacon in our church, I mentioned how I would love to have a baby sheep, a lamb that was just a few days old that I could feed with a bottle and call my very own. Well, much to my surprise and much more to the surprise of my parents, not too long after that conversation came a knock on the front door and Mr. Howard standing there with a three day old lamb. I named my bouncing bundle of energy Sammy. He was so cute. I gave him baths in the kitchen sink, made diapers for him so he could stay in the house, let him sleep in my bed, and carried him around like he was my baby. He traveled with us many different places and was privileged to join us for Christmas vacation to visit family, because after all he was one of us.

As with most sheep, Sammy was very timid and ran away from things that scared him. Not only would he run away, but he would run away in panic mode baaing loudly in fear searching frantically for me. I remember times when he would be grazing in the yard and get too close to the azalea bushes; a little bug would fly out of the bush, scare him half to death, and send him running for his life. Any unexpected noise would startled him, whether it be from something right beside him or from far off, he would run away from the unfamiliar. Sammy would continue running from whatever it was that had scared him, sometimes even in circles, until he heard my voice. It was not until he heard my voice calling out his name and our eyes met that he would relax. Knowing that I was close by dispelled his fears and calmed his nervous heart.

Friends, you and I live in a world of uncertainties and unknowns. We don’t know what tomorrow holds; we don’t know what kinds of things will greet us in the next hours of this day or even in the next minute. One thing we can know, though, and be sure of is that we have a Good Shepherd who is right there with us calling us by name, ready to calm our hearts and take away those fears and worries that so often times send us running for our lives. With my little lamb Sammy, it made all the difference in the world for him to know that I was there, there for him to run to and know, without fail, that I would pick him up in my arms and gently whisper in his ear, “you’re ok, little Sammy, I’ve got you.”

I don’t know about you, but it makes all the difference in the world for me to know that when the storms are raging around me and something unexpected has jumped from within the bush to scare the living daylights out of me, my Good Shepherd has already knelt down for me to run into His arms in order to lift me above the fears and the worries and then whisper softly in my ear, “it’s ok, little one, I’ve got you.”

Is your heart panicked today? Has the enemy jumped from within the bush and scared you half to death? Has worry so consumed you that you can’t even rest? Little lamb, your Shepherd is calling out your name right now. Stop where you are. Turn to Him and run as fast as you can into His arms and allow Him to lift you above whatever it is that has caused your heart to fear and hear His gentle voice whisper softly in your ear, “it’s ok, little one, I’ve got you.”

“He will lead His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the
lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom,

and gently lead those who are with young.”
Isaiah 40:11, NKJV

A thought for the day...

"We aren't called to a life of affluence,

but rather to live a life of influence."

(Ed Young)

How will you chooose to influence those around you today? Will you choose to sow seeds of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control with the co-worker who always seems to grate your nerves, or the child who challenges you in everything, or the boss who continues to pile more and more work onto your already full plate? Or, when the copy machine jams, or when the phone rings non-stop, or the kids argue and fight, or your husband gets home late, or there's not enough money left to pay all the bills, will you choose to let the enemy steal your joy?

I challenge you today, as the Lord has been challenging me, to look beyond yourself. Look beyond what it is that makes you comfortable, step put of your box of self absorption and me-idus, and sow God's love in the hearts of all those you come in contact with today.

Psalm Friday

I Shall Not Want

Psalm Friday

Psalm 23, continued

* Pray. Ask God to give you an open heart and mind to learn new truths from His Word. Read Psalm 23 through three times. Record any thoughts or questions you have in your journal. If a verse stands out to you, write it on an index card and begin committing it to memory.

“I shall not want.”
Psalm 23:1b, NKJV

The statement, “I shall not want,” represents a sheep who is contented with his life because no matter what it may bring him, David knows whose hands his life is in.

This wanting goes beyond the wanting and/or desiring of material possessions; rather it is more about being contended with being under the care and leading of the Good Shepherd no matter where His leadership might take us. So often we search frantically and intently, looking for something or someone to fill an emptiness that has taken up residence depth within our souls. We think we want more of this or more of that, but in the end it’s not about something of the tangible kind that is able to fill that wanting, but rather it is only faith in the Good Shepherd and the yielding to His leadership that will lead us to the place of contentedness, to that place of not wanting.

It is the boss, the master, the owner of one’s life who makes the difference in the satisfaction of one’s soul. Jesus said, “you cannot serve two masters”- one master will leave us wanting, craving and desiring more and more; the other Master will leave us contended, satisfied, wanting nothing. With this Master, the Good Shepherd, comes true humility and submission to His leadership and authority in one’s life.

When we choose to follow the Good Shepherd we are left content and not in want for several reasons. We are not in want because the Good Shepherd:
*cares deeply for each sheep in His flock
*takes pleasure in seeing His flock grow and flourish
*will be with His flock all the time, caring for each and every individual need
*is willing to die for His sheep

Are you wanting today? Or, are you content in the pasture the Good Shepherd has lead you to? Are you hanging out by the fence thinking that you can get through this life with a heart that is divided by which master it should follow? Dear friend, we cannot serve two masters. It’s an either or, not an and/ or life decision- it’s the Good Shepherd or the lion in sheep clothing seeking to devour the weaker sheep.

Allow the Good Shepherd to be Master of your heart today, which will lead you to want for nothing more than Himself.

Much More Than a Sparrow

My husband told me some months back that there was a nest of eggs in the shop. I planned on taking pictures of it and later try to capture the baby birds spreading their wings to fly out into the great unknown. But alas, in the midst of the business of life I didn’t and had forgotten the nest was even there until that day.

Join me over HERE at Faith Lifts to read the rest of today's devotional.

Rain down on us!

I'd like to share with you something I read during my time with the Lord this morning. It's from a devotion book entitled Streams in the Desert. I hope it ministers to you today.

"If clouds are full of water, they

pour rain upon the earth."

Ecclesiastes 11:3

If we believe the message of this verse, then why do we dread the clouds that darken our sky? It is true for a while the dark clouds hide the sun, but it is not extinguished and it will soon shine again. Meanwhile those clouds are filled with rain, and the darker they are, the more likely they are to bring plentiful showers.

How can we have rain without clouds? Our troubles have always brought us blessings, and they always will, for they are the dark chariots of God's bright and glorious grace. Before long the clouds will be emptied, and every tender plant will be happier due to the showers. Our God may drench us with grief, but He will refresh us with His mercy. Our Lord's love letters often come to us in dark envelopes. His wagons may rumble noisily across the sky, but they are loaded with benefits. And His rod blossoms with sweet flowers and nourishing fruits. So let us not worry about the clouds. Instead, let us sing because May flowers are brought to us through April clouds and showers.

O Lord, "clouds are the dust of [your] feet"! (Nah. 1:3). Help us remember how near You are during the dark and cloudy days! Love beholds You and is glad. Faith see the clouds emptying themselves and thereby making the hills on every side rejoice. (written by C.H. Spurgeon)

Oh Father, how I praise You today for the storm clouds of life! Just as the seedling won't sprout and grow without being watered from above, my life won't bloom and flourish without being rained upon by the Living Waters of life that come from the throne of God. Today Lord, we welcome the showers. Rain down upon us Your immeasurable blessings.

My First Interview!

Join me at "5 Minutes for Mom" for my very first interview. How cool is that!!

Let every tribe, tongue, and nation praise the Lord!

My family and I gathered around the TV last night to watch the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympic games. Wow! It was amazing. The drums, the lights, the colors, the pageantry, the human paintbrushes. The voices of the children singing in one accord. The precision and timing of each of the 15,000 performers was outstanding.

As I sat on the couch with my kiddos I was in awe and in tears. Some 91,000 people filled the "Bird's Nest" to witness this history making event. Ninety-one thousand spectators, not to mention the thousands and thousands of athletes, put all political and religious differences aside to come together for one purpose. My heart was filled with such wonder and amazement I thought it would burst forth from my chest.

After putting my kiddos to bed I crawled up in my own comfy bed and watched as each country and nation's group of athletes entered the arena. They all proudly wore outfits that represented their nation and held their countries flag high. There were smiles on all the faces and, I imagine, joy and excitement in the hearts of every man and women, boy and girl, who were a part of this great parade of nations.

As I continued to watch I though back to when the Chinese flag entered the arena earlier in the night. The flag was carried into the arena by Chinese children and was then passed to Chinese soldiers. The soldiers then, very carefully and with a great display of pride, lifted the flag high. As all of this was happening the commentator made this statement, "The state of China is the guarantee of the future of these children. "Wow," my husband replied, "the state of China is the guarantee of the future of these children."

My friends, no state, no president, no government, no nation is the guarantee of our future. As I said yesterday in Psalm Friday, the Holy Spirit is the Guarantee of our future because He has sealed us until the day of the coming of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 4:30). The day is coming when every tribe, every tongue and every nation will gather together for one purpose. Oh, and when that day comes, our banners will be raised high, our hearts will be filled with much pride, joy and elation, and smiles will cover our faces! We will all stand together, not dressed in our nations garb, but dressed in the robes of the righteousness of Christ and His salvation, and we will praise God Almighty for eternity. I can hardly wait!

But until then, you and I have work to do. As I picture that arena full of peoples from all lands, I can't help but think that not all of them will join us in that great day of praise. We have been commissioned to go into ALL the world and make disciples of ALL NATIONS, ALL TRIBES, ALL TONGUES. This means we are going to have to give up somethings, step out of our comfort zones, and get down and dirty. God's work is not easy, but it is very rewarding. You and I can't take any of our material possessions with us to heaven, but we can be a part of the harvesting of souls for His Kingdom.

If you read this post on Tuesday, you know that I have an information packets on China that I'd like to share with you. I have 4 of those packets left to give away. In order to receive one of these packets I am asking that you share with us an evangelistic encounter in which you have been personally involved in- i.e. witnessing to a neighbor, sharing the love of Jesus by providing someone a meal, etc. I look forward to reading about all the ways God is using you. I will post an update when all of the packets are gone.

Many blessings to you all. Make today, and everyday, an ON MISSION day!

Psalm Friday

The LORD, He is My Shepherd
Psalm Friday

Psalm 23, continued

* Pray. Ask God to give you an open heart and mind to learn new truths from His Word. Read Psalm 23 through three times. Record any thoughts or questions you have in your journal. If a verse stands out to you, write it on an index card and begin committing it to memory.

“The LORD is my Shepherd.”
Psalm 23:1b, NKJV

David, a shepherd, the son of a shepherd, known as the Shepherd-King, calls the LORD, his own personal Shepherd. In this Psalm David didn’t speak from the viewpoint of the shepherd, but he spoke as the sheep that he was. David knew firsthand that the life of a sheep depended upon the shepherd who tended to its needs.

Today I want us to answer this question: Why does David call the LORD his Shepherd?

First, in answering the question, “why does David call the LORD his Shepherd?” it is of utter importance to note that David calls the LORD by the Hebrew name, Yahweh which means the self-existence, eternal God. To the Jew, Yahweh is the most scared name for God, so scared in fact, that the name was not spoken verbally. Yahweh was and is the self-existence, eternal God- “In the beginning God (Genesis 1:1)- He has always been- there was never a time when God wasn’t; “ ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’” – not only has there never been a time when God hasn’t been, there will never be a time when God won’t be (Revelation 1:8)

David recognized that it was God who brought his life into existence (Psalm 139:13). It was God who had protected him from his enemies and had rained down upon him blessing after blessing. It was God who had provided for him time and time again meeting David’s every need (Psalm 18:1-3). He knew and honored the mere fact that the LORD was his Shepherd, his Owner, and his Master simply because it was the LORD who had created him.

In the Gospel of John, John records Jesus as pronouncing Himself to be the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep and is willing to lay down His life for their freedom. Jesus is the understanding, compassionate, loving Shepherd who cares enough to seek and to save the lost sheep who have gone astray.

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to this own way;
and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
Isaiah 53:6 , NKJV

Another reason David calls the LORD his Shepherd is because David was bought for a mighty large price. You and I, along with David, have been bought and paid for by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. We are not our own, therefore the LORD has every right to lay claim to us.

For the sheep farmer, his flock is extremely important to him; it is his lively hood. Caring for, protecting, and providing for his sheep is the farmers number one priority. Shepherds, like cattlemen, have a way of marking or branding their livestock so that all will know who know who the animals belong to. The Shepherd will take each ewe, lay her ear on a wooden block, then using a razor sharp object will deeply cut a distinctive mark, belonging only to him, into the ear of his ewe. This is a lifelong mark never to be erased and forever linking the sheep to his shepherd.

Just as a shepherd marks the ear of each sheep, God marks all believers with a mark that is eternal and can never be erased. The body of our Savior was cut and beaten and brusied because of our sins. The blood flowed freely from His body cleansing us of our sins and covering us with His righteousness.

*All believers have been sealed by the Holy Spirit who is the Guarantee of our heavenly inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 4:30).
*All believers have been clothed with the righteous robe of Christ and His garment of salvation (Isaiah 61:10).
*All believers have been redeemed and covered by the precious blood of the Lamb (1 Peter 1:17-19).

“The LORD, He is my Shepherd,” words confidently spoken by the once shepherd boy now turned shepherd-king. David was confident in his Shepherd because his Shepherd was the eternal, self-existent God and had paid of huge price for this sheep. David knew there was no other in whom he could place such trust and faith.

Dear friend, know today that He, the LORD, Yahweh, the self-existent, eternal God, He is your Shepherd. He has bought and paid for you with the precious blood of the Lamb. He formed you in the womb of your mother and has created you to be His precious sheep. Follow after your Good Shepherd today.

Less is More

It final got to me. Everywhere I looked, it was there. I walked into the kitchen, it was there. And in the dining room, it was there. In the bedrooms and the closets? Oh, it was definitely there! Not so much in the living room, but I could still see it there. What was "IT"? JUNK! Piles and piles of junk laying all over the place. Stuff we never use, toys that are never played with, clothes that are never worn, papers that were kept for now reason- junk everywhere. I couldn't take it any longer.


I spent ALL last week going through book cases, dresser drawers, toy boxes, craft supplies, cabinets, and closets. By the time Saturday rolled around I had 5 lawn and leaf size bags full of junk to through away, 7 trash bags full of clothes to take to Goodwill, dishes to get rid of, furniture to toss, toys to pass on, and baby bottles and furniture to pack up for my baby sis (who I'm praying will soon be blessed with a little one). In the midst of the cleaning out and cleaning up, I rearranged furniture and set up and organized our new home school room. When all was said and done, I stood back and surveyed my home. I had a revelation both concerning the "stuff" which filled my home and the "stuff" which fills my heart: I've come to realize that LESS is MORE.



Let me explain:


First, my home. As I threw away my junk I often thought, "Why did I buy this? I've never even used this. Where did this come from?" Too many times we think that if buy this "stuff" it will fill some kind of void in our hearts, but it never does. Sometimes we buy more "stuff" to impress others, but they could care less because they are wrapped up in their own "stuff". Other times we buy "stuff" to keep our kids occupied so that we can do our own thing. Then there are those times we impulsively buy "stuff" for no reason at all.



The Lord showed me that with LESS "stuff" in my home, MORE money is going to be in my bank account available for Him to use as He sees fit. He also showed me that with LESS "stuff", literally, taking up space in my home, there will be MORE space for me to get down on the floor and play with my kids. With LESS toys in the toy box, my kids will use MORE of their imaginations to play and discover new things and their gifts and talents, given to them by the Lord, will have MORE of an opportunity to develop and grow. When I focus my time and energy MORE on what pleases the Lord and LESS on what others think about my status quo in life, then God will be glorified.



Now, to my heart. As I cleaned out and threw away the junk that had taken up residence in my home, the Lord spoke to me about the junk that had taken up residence within my heart- the bad attitudes, the selfishness, the pride and jealously, the impatience with my children, the complaining about all the laundry that I can never seem to get caught up on, the desires to have more instead of being content with what God has abundantly blessed me with, and it goes on and on. At first I was a little defensive thinking that all was good between me and God and that there was nothing within my heart that needed to be dealt with, but then the Lord, through His great mercy and grace, spoke to me.



There's a difference between surface cleaning and deep-down, get to the heart of the matter cleaning. Surface cleaning for me has always been a little light cleaning and then shove everything else in the closet when company comes over. Last week was not about surface cleaning my home; it was about deep-down, open the closet doors and throw away all the junk cleaning.



The surface of my heart, to myself, to me looked good, but God was more concerned about opening up the secret closet doors of my heart and doing some deep-down cleaning. We have got to allow the Lord to get rid of all the junk that is filling our hearts so that there is more room for Him to fill us with His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. When our hearts are filled with junk, where is there room for God? The Lord showed me that I need LESS of myself, my desires, my rotten attitudes, my complaining, my this and my that filling up my heart, so that there is MORE room for Him.



LESS of me and MORE of Him is what I want. How about you? Do you need to allow the Lord to do some deep-down, open up the secret closet doors of your heart and throw away all the junk cleaning so that you have room for Him to reign supreme in your life?

"be filled with the Spirit."

Ephesians 5:18b, NKJV

It's Final Here & I get to Share

I'm so excited to share this with you all. For those of you who have been visiting By His Grace since April 15, 2008, you know that we have been counting down to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. I recently came across several resources about China and its people that I would like to share with you. I have 6 packets that include an East Asia update newsletter, a China Olympic Guide, an about East Asia bulletin, a People of China Magnet, a China prayer card reminder, an awesome 30 day devotional booklet put together by those who are working, serving, and witnessing in China, and an elastic Pray for China bracelet. Because this isn't any kind of competition where I would randomly select a "winner" I'm just going to give these packets to the first 6 people who comment to this post by sharing with us an evangelistic encounter of any kind that you have been a part of.

I want to leave you today with a devotion exert from the Reflections from China devotional booklet.

A Private Lesson with the Coach

By BB

"Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you."

Deuteronomy 31:6. NASB

On a trip to Beijing, I visited the China World Trade Center. It had great shopping and places to eat, and it was really clean. I looked down at my dingy jeans and worn out shoes and thought, "Wow, it has been a long two years." Looking in the restroom mirror, I saw a new color in my hair (white!) and new lines around my eyes. Again, I thought, "Wow, it has been a long two years."

The center had a huge ice skating ring. Standing one floor about the rink, I had the perfect view. I saw a little girl who was about 5 or 6 years old. Because she was a "foreigner", she looked different from everyone on the rink. She was having her private lesson with her coach.

Her coach would hold her hands and then he would let her go. He skated backwards so that her could face her. She was barely moving. He had his hands extended, as if begging her to come to him, but she was struggling. You could see the strain in her eyes and legs. Then just when I thought, "Oh, no she won't make it!", her coach reached out and grabbed her hands.

I breathed a deep sigh of relief as I watched the coach take her in his arms and skate all around the rink with her. She looked as if she could conquer the world. Then he stopped, turned her toward him, and skated backwards away from her once again. This time she skated to him! Again, they went flying off around the rink. He was doing all the work and she was just enjoying the ride. I watched as the coach added a new step, and then another.

As I walked away, I felt the Lord telling me, "I am your Coach. I reached out My arms and you came to Me. Then I sent you out to do what seemed impossible. You are a foreigner in this land. But, you have had a private lesson with Me!"

The opening ceremonies for the 2008 Beijing Olympics are only days away. Let's continue to pray that all those involved in the games, as well as the people of China will feel and see, like never before, the loving arms of Jesus Christ reaching out to them.

Don't forget that the first 6 of you who post a comment sharing with us an evangelistic encounter that you have been a part of will receive the East Asia information packets.

"Go into all the world and make

disciples of all the nations."

Matthew 28:19

Psalm Friday

The Pearl of the Psalms

Psalm Friday
Psalm 23

I am so excited to embark on another journey with you, my friend. On this journey we will have a tour guide of sorts; a guide who knows firsthand what he’s talking about. We have the awesome privilege of following King David, who as a young boy, was called out from the fields while tending to his own sheep to be used mightily of the LORD. King David will lead us through the lush pastures of the goodness of Yahweh that flow freely from His throne of grace. We will experience right alongside of him the comfort and peace that come only by way of the path of righteousness. Strap on your sandals, grab a water bottle and let’s set out on this journey together as the shepherd boy leads us straight to the Shepherd King.

Psalm 23 is probably one of the most well known, recited, and loved passages of the Old Testament. This Psalm, written and sung by David, is said to be the “Pearl of the Psalms”. The depth and richness of Psalm 23 reflects a mature faith that has stood the test of severe trials, leading most to believe that this song, though drawing upon his early experiences with his own sheep, was written during David’s later life when he served as king of Israel. The purpose of this Psalm is to introduce us to the Covenant God, Yahweh, who as the Shepherd provides for all His sheep their daily needs as well as for their eternity.

There are two things today that I want us to take notice of:
1. The position of Psalm 23
2. Why Psalm 23 is referred to as the “Pearl of the Psalms”

The position of Psalm 23.
God is a God of planning and purpose. He is a God of specifics and reason. There is no doubt that He had great purpose in placing Psalm 23 exactly where we find it in Scripture. If you will recall with me in our study of Psalm 22, we entitled it the “Psalm of the Cross”. At the cross of Calvary there were no green pastures and no still waters. Only after we sit at the foot of the cross, behold the battered, broken body of our Lord and Savior and hear Him cry out, “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken Me!” can we come to “The Lord is my Shepherd.” Before we can experience the comfort of the Lord as our Shepherd, we must experience the Lord as our Savior and sacrifice, because it’s only then that we can fully understand His peace and goodness and mercy.

Why Psalm 23 is referred to as the “Pearl of the Psalms”.
I was curious to know why many have labeled this Psalm the “Pearl of the Psalms” so I did a little digging. I read several articles about pearls but one thing stood out to me: “The finest quality natural pearls have been highly valued as gemstones and objects of beauty for many centuries, and because of this, the word pearl became a metaphor for something very rare, very fine, very admirable and very valuable (Wikipedia Free Internet Encyclopedia) .” Hummm. Very rare, very fine, very admirable, and very valuable; an object of beauty. I’m not exactly sure why others would refer to this Psalm as the “Pearl of the Psalms” but for me, what could be more beautiful, more deserving of my admiration and awe, more valuable than anything this world has to offer me, than experiencing firsthand the comfort, peace, mercy, goodness, discipline, and love of my Shepherd King?

This is going to be an exciting journey. I hope you are ready. My prayer is that we will come face-to-face with our Shepherd King and experience like never before His provision and comfort. Let’s end our time today reading and meditating upon the “Pearl of the Psalms.”

“1) The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2) He makes me to lie down in
green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3) He restores my soul; He
leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. 4) Yea, though I
walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil; for 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 runs over.
6) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will
dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
Psalm 23:1-6, NKJV