Psalm 23:2

 "He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters." 

Once again David extols God's virtues of protection, concern, and nurturing. When our lives are in turmoil, as so many are today, we may tend to get overwhelmed while feeling we have no control of our own lives anymore. We feel lied to, heartbroken, confused, and afraid. Evil is showing its ugly face everywhere we look these days. 

We must remember what verse 1 told you--the LORD is your Shepherd and you shall not want for anything. He has taken care of you since you were conceived, and He promised to never leave nor forsake you. We, ourselves must listen to His voice and do as He says. He sees the end of these problems in our lives when we can't. 

His love for us is so immense, so pure, so real, so tangible in fact, that we can feel Him if just let Him touch us. When we feel overwhelmed, we need to take a break and be still. Close our eyes, take a few deep breaths, inhale, exhale, be calm. Imagine walking with Jesus, you are on a meadow so green and beautiful. The air is clean and crisp, but not cold. He tells you a story as you walk and smiles as you see yourself in it. You stop where you can see the lake not far from you. It is so clean, so calm, there are butterflies all around the meadow flowers, and fish are jumping in the lake. The tall grasses bend slightly in the breeze and you take great pleasure in the company you are with. Here is your Shepherd, your Caretaker, your Confidant, your very life itself sitting with you and telling you stories of how much He loves you. 

The peace that overtakes you once again is welcomed by your heart, body, and soul. You relax completely and feel the worries of the world drift away. As long as you stay in the presence of the Lord, the enemy cannot touch you. What he does is of no consequence at the moment because you know in your heart that God has saved you many times from many things, and He isn't about to stop now. 

We may not have control over everything in our lives, but we do have control to choose how we respond to the world around us. We choose to sit and worry until we die, or to glorify God by telling someone else what He has done for us, and remind them that He is still on the throne of grace. When we are in that peace that surpasses all understanding, no devil can break in. When you are fixed on the Lord, nothing else matters, because He is the Answer to all your troubles. And remember the Holy Spirit that resides in us who are saved, He is always guiding and counseling us. We have to choose. Do we live for God or for the world? Personally, I like the meadow and still waters. Peace, perfect peace. It really is heaven on earth! What about you? Are you ready to 'let go and let God?' 

The Lord is the Shepherd of His People

"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want;" Psalm 23:1 A Psalm of David

David calls God his 'Shepherd.' This must be said with such trust and love; after all, David himself was a shepherd. He tended his father's flock from a young age, even going back and forth from playing the harp for King Saul during his periods of insanity to feeding the flock. When King Saul was overcome with a distressing spirit, one of his servants approached him and said, "Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlahemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the Lord is with him".

David knew how to be a good shepherd. The youngest of eight brothers, it was his job to do so. Even at a young age he was defending the flock against wild animals and the sheep's wanderings. He killed both lion and bear and rescued his father's sheep. But only with God's help. He may have been wounded while fighting these wild animals, but God had His eye on him and His hand of protection over him.

Knowing very well the dangers and responsibilities of being a shepherd, David refers to God in this first verse of Psalm 23 as his Shepherd. He understands and takes comfort in knowing that there is nothing he should be in want of. His Shepherd knows his needs.

Our Holy Shepherd, Jesus, is that way as well. He was and is our Shepherd and we are His flock. He gladly puts Himself between us and the enemy. He protects us, even though He knew His blood would be shed. He makes sure that our needs are met. He keeps us as a flock together, He guides the one who loses their hope or faith back to the 99 who will walk and gather together with Him. We are fed and watered divinely through Him and His word. We should want for nothing else, what else is there that could possibly compare to eternal love? 

David adored God and God said that David was "the apple of My eye." They had an understanding and a deep love for one another. David always came to God first through good and bad times. We should too.  From David's mouth and from mine, I humbly declare, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want."

Have a blessed day, tomorrow we'll look at verse 2.

Forgiven

 Psalm 32 TPT

(A poem of insight and instruction, by King David*)

"How happy and fulfilled are those whose rebellion has been forgiven, 
those whose sins are covered by blood. 

How blessed and relieved are those who have confessed their corruption to God!

For he wipes their slates clean and removes hypocrisy from their hearts.

Before I confessed my sins, I kept it all inside;

my dishonesty devastated my inner life, causing my life to be filled with frustration, 

irrepressible anguish, and misery.

The pain never let up, for your hand of conviction was heavy on my heart.

My strength was sapped, my inner life dried up like a spiritual drought within my soul. 

Pause in his presence  

"Then I finally admitted to you all my sins, refusing to hide them any longer.

I said, "My life-giving God, I will openly acknowledge my evil actions."

And you forgave me! 

All at once the guilt of my sin washed away and all my pain disappeared!

Pause in his presence  

"This is what I've learned through it all: All believers should confess their sins to God;

do it every time God has uncovered you in the time of exposing.

For if you do this, when sudden storms of life overwhelm, you'll be kept safe.

Lord, you are my secret hiding place, protecting me from these troubles,

surrounding me with songs of gladness!

Your joyous shouts of rescue release my breakthrough.

Pause in his presence  

"I hear the Lord saying, "I will stay close to you, instructing 

and guiding you along the pathway for your life.

I will advise you along the way and lead you forth with my eyes as your guide.

So don't make it difficult; don't be stubborn when I take you where 

you've never been before. Don't make me tug you and pull you along. 

Just come with me!

"So my conclusion is this:

Many are the sorrows and frustrations of those who don't come clean with God.

But when you trust in the Lord for forgiveness, 

his wrap-around love will surround you.

So celebrate the goodness of God! He shows this kindness to everyone who is his.

Go ahead--shout for joy, all you upright ones who want to please him."

* From the footnotes in the Passion Translation: David wrote this psalm after he seduced the wife of his most loyal soldier, then had him killed to try to keep her pregnancy a secret. This sin with Bathsheba brought great disgrace to David, yet he finds complete forgiveness in God's mercy. The apostle Paul chose the first two verses of this psalm to support the important doctrine of salvation by grace through faith. This was St. Augustine's favorite psalm. He had it written on the wall near his bed before he died so he could meditate on it.

Dear Reader, how good is our God! Even with sins the like of what King David was guilty of, once we confess these sins to God in humility, he is merciful and forgiving. There isn't anything you could have done that he will not forgive if you humble yourself and ask, then repent. His grace is overwhelming, and his mercies, which are new every morning, will last forever. If you feel you would like to turn to Jesus, our Savior, the prayer for salvation is just a tab away, up above on the menu. Don't be afraid. Heaven awaits, eternity with our Lord and Father! God bless you today.

The Cry of the Oppressed (Psalm 10 TPT)

"Lord, you seem so far away when evil is near!

Why do you stand so far off as though you don't care?

Why have you hidden yourself when I need you the most?

The arrogant in their elitist pride persecute the poor and helpless.

May you pour out upon them the very evil they've planned against others!

How they brag and boast of their cravings, exalting the greedy.

They congratulate themselves as they despise you.

These arrogant ones, so smug and secure!

In their delusion the wicked boast, saying, 

"God doesn't care about what we do. There's nothing to worry about!

Our wealth will last a lifetime."

"So seemingly successful are they in their schemes,

prosperous in all their plans and scoffing at any restraint.

They boast that neither God nor men will bring them down.

They sneer at all their enemies, saying in their hearts,

"We'll have success in all we do and never have to face trouble"--

never realizing that they are speaking this in vain.

Their mouths spout out cursing, lies, and threats.

Only trouble and turmoil come from all their plans.

"beasts lurking in the shadows of the city

they crouch silently in ambush for the people to pass by.

Pouncing on the poor, they catch them in their snare

to murder their prey in secret as they plunder their helpless victims.

They crush the lowly as they fall beneath their brutal blows,

watching their victims collapse in defeat!

Then they say to themselves, 

"The Lofty One is not watching while we do this.

He doesn't even care! We can get away with it!"

"Now is the time to rise, Lord! Crush them once and for all!

Don't forget the forgotten and the helpless.

How dare the wicked think they'll escape judgment, 

believing that you would not call them to account for all their ways.

Don't let the wicked get away with their contempt of you!

Lord, I know you see all that they're doing, noting their each and every deed.

You know the trouble and turmoil they've caused.

Now punish them thoroughly for all that they've done!

"The poor and helpless ones trust in you, Lord,

for you are famous for being the helper of the fatherless.

I know you won't let them down.

Break the power of the wicked and all their strong-arm tactics.

Search them out and destroy them for the evil things they've done.

You, Lord, are King forever and ever!

You will see to it that all the nations perish from your land.

Lord, you know and understand all the hopes of the humble

and will hear their cries and comfort their heart, helping them all!

The orphans and the oppressed will be terrified no longer,

for you will bring them justice, and no one will trouble them."

Dear Reader, no matter what you are going through today, you must remember that there is Someone who is looking out for you, even if you can't feel it. There is Someone who loves you enough to have died for you, and would have if you were the only person on the earth. His name is Jesus. Be encouraged!

A Thanksgiving Prayer

My Lord,

I love You! I have been getting so encouraged reading the words of the prophets you have sent out through my morning devotion Give Him 15. Thank You so much for bringing it to my attention! Thank you for the word of truth I receive each week from my pastor. Thank You for the prophets of old and new and the pray-ers. Thank You for directing so many toward the truth! Let them be made free!

The time is coming quickly when You will come forth and right the wrongs that have been done in this country and in the world. It is almost here! The evil that has perpetrated this nation for decades is about to know defeat at the hand of Almighty God! The enemy forgot the end of the story. He forgot that YOU have already won!

I wait with a trusting and hopeful heart for what You will do. You are stirring up hearts everywhere, and You are shaking the nations. I know that this year will end much differently than it began. Those in places of influence and government and those who finance them and their evil will be fully exposed like a grotesquely putrefied naked man in the middle of Times Square at high noon. People will try to look away but their eyes will see the truth that You are making visible. All the blinders will come off! Evil will be seen clearly for what it is.

I am excited to see and hear all that You will do. I try to think of ways that You may do what You're going to do, but You have reminded me that Your ways are not my ways, and Your thoughts are much higher than mine. So I have to 'be still and know that You are God and You will be exalted among the nations, and You will be exalted in the earth!*' Oh hallelujah!

I believe the blind will see and the deaf will have their ears opened - finally - to the truth. I believe there will be a multitude that will come to You, there will be a multitude begging Your forgiveness. There will be repentance like we've never known. Repentance for regrets of wrongdoing and tears of joy shed all over the world, but I pray that here in the blessed United States of America it will change the world and how they see Your amazing glory! 

Oh God, my God, let Your glory come forth! Bring peace, bring love, bring forgiveness and  bring forth from us a burning desire to know and please You! Bring truth and light up the world with Your presence!

You make my heart so filled with joy! Let 2020 be remembered as the Year of the Lord! The year evil in this world was slain. The year You showed us Your glory and honor and splendor! The year You did something new and awesome! Change the history books, drain then purify the swamp! Let Your glory fill the earth! We are waiting and watching. Let no man even try to take credit for what You do. Make that impossible. I know it already is, but there are those who will try.

Thank You! Thank You for loving us! Let this Thanksgiving be a day of grace and mercy as we come humbly before You in awe and love. Let us celebrate YOU! Wow. I love You!

*Psalm 46:10