6 Names of God that will Change Your Life!

A witness in a criminal case is on the witness stand and the lawyer asks him a crucial question that will prove his client’s innocence or guilt.  His answer?  “I don’t recall or I simply can’t remember.”  What happened? During the discovery phase, the witness told the lawyer the entire account with absolute clarity! The sad reality came to light. The witness lied on the stand and the lawyer could not prove he was lying.

This kind of purposeful lying is frustrating to the justice system, but it has gotten many guilty people out of a lot of trouble.  There is coming a time that such a defense will not hold up before the judge.  There is coming a time that such a defense will be totally useless – the judgment seat of Christ for the believer and the Great White Throne judgment for the unbeliever. 

Our best defense for that future date is to improve our memory right now!  We must sharpen our memory of the very person of God!

Take a moment and read Luke 22:19-22; I Cor. 11.

Now, consider the some in the Bible who chose not to remember who the LORD God is. King Ahab forgot God and led a whole nation into deep trouble.  Moses forgot who God is for a moment, under pressure, and he didn’t see the blessing of the Promised Land. 

Problems begin when our memory of Jesus ends!

We have all had a struggle with our memory at some point in time! We ask our family, “Where are my keys?” or “Has anyone seen my sunglasses?”  My favorite helper question is, “Where did you have them last?”  Well, if I could remember that I wouldn’t be asking you for your help!  I do not want to mislead you.  You should know I have an incredible memory…it is just very short!

The truth is, we all forget more than the location of our keys, sunglasses, or appointments.  We also tend to forget about God.  We tend to forget what He has done for us AND who He is!

What exactly about God do we forget that brings so much trouble?  We forget who He is! We all call those closer to us different names (i.e. - honey, babe, sweetheart, bubba, or brute). The other names identify different understandings of their personality and abilities. Let’s take a quick look at some of the different names of God and see how they give us a window into understanding our great God!

1.      EL SHADDAI

The children of Israel forgot about El Shaddai (God’s ultimate power over all) when they were between Egypt and Red Sea (Exodus 14:10-11)

2.      JEHOVAH JIREH

Elimelech forgot about the Jehovah Jireh (God provides) when he fled Israel and ran to Moab during a famine (Ruth 1)

3.      EL ELYON

Saul forgot about El Elyon (the most High…absolute of lordship) and chose rebellion, increasing isolation, arrogance, and attention-seeking in a clear “spiritual blindness” pursuit.  Rejecting the “absolute Lordship” of God led Saul to refuse to accept God’s choosing David as the next king. Saul’s spiritual blindness so overcame him that he even sought out the witch of Endor! (I Sam. 15:24-26; 28:3-20).

…but happens when we remember who God is?

4.      EL ROI

When Hagar remembered El Roi (the God of Seeing) (Gen. 16:13) things changed!  This impacted Hagar’s life journey!

5.      YAHWEH ROHI

When David remembered Yahweh Rohi ("The Lord Our Shepherd" (Psalm 23:1) – After David pondered his relationship as a shepherd to his sheep, he realized that was exactly the relationship God had with him, and so he declares, “Yahweh-Rohi is my Shepherd. I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).  This greatly impacted David’s relationship with God!

6.      EL GIBHOR

Things change when we remember El Gibhor (“Mighty God”) (Isaiah 9:6). This is the name describing the Messiah, Christ Jesus, in this prophetic portion of Isaiah. As a powerful and mighty warrior, the Messiah, the Mighty God, will accomplish the destruction of God’s enemies and rule with a rod of iron (Revelation 19:15)…and everything changes!  My attitude changes from flippant or carefree to fearing the Lord and overwhelming gratitude!

Who is Jesus? He is God…He is my Shepherd…He is the Lamb for me…He is the Mighty God. Remember who He is. He will change your life for the better … in the most dramatic ways possible!!

3 Observations about Undesirable Valleys

In the business world there must be a dozen (if not dozens) of books and seminars entitled, “The Pathway to Success.”  Time will be spent on how to dress for success, the attitude for success, and the actions that will lead to success.  Everything is geared to be appealing and exciting to the human eye.

However, Psalm 23 reminds us that the desired successful mountain top experiences are often misinterpreted or misunderstood.  Many a Christian will look at Christians during mountain top experiences and say how they long to be like that!  A person sees a lot of people saved, God seems to be clearly reflected in their life, and there seems to be a joy that never ends!

When we look at the mountain tops, we often fail to realize or remember that it will take the paths in the valley to get to the mountain top!  This is usually the last place any of us want to go…but it is the place that leads to the mountain top.  We must trust the Lord that the valleys will lead to mountain top times in His time. 

Background: Notice that the Psalmist now changes his Psalm directly to the Lord.  The personal pronouns “I” and “Thou” now enter the conversation.  Also, remember that when God sent Samuel to anoint David as the next King, he wasn’t at home – he was tending to his father’s flock high in the hills.  David knew firsthand the difficulties and dangers (as well as the joy and delight) of the journey to the mountain top.

Before David was King, he was a shepherd fighting off dangerous animals.

1.     The Valley is necessary

When we lived in Colorado, we often enjoyed taking people for a day trip into the mountains. We lived at 7000 feet above sea level, but a drive up Mount Evans would easily double that distance. The views were spectacular! It was definitely worth the drive. However, to get to the mountain peak we had to drive through the valley.

You cannot get to the mountain top without going through the valley.  What we often want is a helicopter ride instead – and that can be very costly (financially and spiritually).  But the reality is...it will cost me something when the Lord leads me through the valley as well. 

Everything of great value will have great cost. 

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.”  It doesn’t say that we will necessarily die there, but it does say we walk through it!

So … “Why is this necessary?”  Consider 4 Answers to “why the valley?”

1.     It brings glory to God with dependence on Him alone (Hebrews 11:6)

2.     It gives proper perspective (Hebrews 11:13)

3.     It helps me help others (II Cor. 1:3-5)

4.     It is the best watered path, and as a result, it helps us grow (James 1:3-4)

2.     The Valley is revealing

The Psalmist says, “I will fear no evil for thou are with me.” When a boxer goes into the ring, his abilities are revealed for all to see.  Last year, I watched the weigh in and news conference of a big fight.  Both fighters were trying to show themselves to be stronger and tougher than the other; however, one of the fighters was particularly proud and cocky. He made quite the big show for all the reporters and cameras.  He even attempted to intimidate his opponent in every way possible. When it came time for the fight, the fighter who was so big at the news conference was knocked out with one punch.

When we are in the valley the Lord reveals us to ourselves.  That can be a very frightening thing.  We often think we are more than what we are! We think we were more courageous, more powerful, more skilled, and definitely more spiritual!

“You will never know the fullness of Christ, until you feel the emptiness of everything else but Christ.” 

What leads to the mountain top experiences is realizing that we are nothing without Him.

 3.     The Valley is rewarding

God’s desire is to bring me to higher ground!  Our Good Shepherd knows the way of the valley.  He also knows the peak of the mountain … and He knows what is needed to bring us to the peak.  In the meantime, remember that when you see folks in those mountain top experiences – remember they went through the valley to get there.

So … center your attentions on these 4 areas as you live life each day...so when you begin to walk through a valley, you are fortified!

• …Prayer (John 15:5)

• …the Bible (Jeremiah 23:29: Hebrews 4:12)

• …Relationships (John 15:12; Romans 14:19; I Thessalonians 5:11)

• …Obedience (John 14:15; James 1:22)

Lastly, the ultimate reward is fearing no evil. That is quite the prize!  Where does peace come from?  Where does fearing no evil originate?  It is all rooted in the reality of God’s presence (Exodus 33:14).  The story is told of a few ladies from the USA Judo Olympic Team walking down the streets of Sydney, Australia after their competition that day. Before they knew it a group of men decided they were going to mug these ladies ... not knowing they were Olympians … in the martial arts. The ladies warned them to stay away and they refused. The men made their move and before the men knew what had happened, they were all face down on the ground subdued by the ladies awaiting the police to arrive. Knowing just that story, most if not all of us would feel safe walking around with those ladies. Their mere presence would calm our fears of evil. If we were to see them in action it would calm our fears even more.

You and I have seen God in action. We have seen answers to prayer. We have seen people saved.  We have seen people baptized.  We have seen Him build His church!  We have read of his own actions in the Bible: the walls of Jericho came down without anyone touching them, the Red Sea parted to dry ground for more than a million people to pass through it before the enemy arrived, Jesus healed the nobleman's son and the woman with the issue of blood... it even came to the point that people would tear apart a roof and lower a man into the house -- just to get close to Jesus. The understanding was clear: if I can just get to Jesus, everything will be better. 

So, as you and I walk through the valleys of our own life, do whatever it takes to get close to Jesus.

Also, remember that the undesirable valley is necessary for the mountain top view, for revealing my own character and relationship with Jesus, and for higher ground!

So, embrace the valley. The valley, though hard at times, will transform you into a greater likeness of the Good Shepherd. I mean, we all could use some more personal holiness, love, mercy, and grace…couldn’t we? I know I could.

5 Practical Ways to Follow the Good Shepherd's Path

From time to time, I have found my wife searching on the internet for new recipes for our family dinner.  She always makes great meals, but she will sometimes look for something different to change things up.  I guess we all get into the habit of certain meal plans.  The meals she prepares are great; however, we often need to prepare different meals for a broader, more balanced diet.  This means she purposefully CHANGES the meal plan.

Some habits are not only good…some habits are essential (i.e. - eating, Bible reading, exercising, sleep, prayer, etc.…).  However, there are some habits that need to change from time to time. 

Good habits need to be changed up from time to time…this can make the habit even stronger.

Sheep are creatures of habit.  If left to themselves, they will walk the same path and graze the same land until it is desolate and no grass will grow there again!  A Shepherd must keep careful watch on the sheep and the land so that both are kept healthy.  When the land is no longer providing enough for the sheep — and the land itself cannot handle any more grazing — then the sheep must move on to another area to graze.  This new path is best for them and the land!*

It continues to be very interesting how the Lord has chosen sheep in Psalm 23 as a parallel to us as His children.  Sheep are so set in their ways, that unless they are led on to new paths, they will ruin the land.  We as God’s children are often very stiff-necked and stubborn people – desirous of staying right where we are spiritually.  It is vital we as God’s children follow our good shepherd wherever He may lead.*  To understand the need to follow the Shepherd, we must first understand:

Who We Are

Isaiah 53:6. The 5-year-old thinks he knows best when insisting for candy or several cookies right before dinner.  The teenager thinks he knows best when insisting to drive his buddies to a college friend’s summer party and wanting a curfew of 3 AM. The young adult thinks he knows best when insisting on speeding in a snowstorm to get to work on time.  We insist we know what is best for us even though the disastrous results may be self-evident.

Sometimes our reasoning goes something like this:

I believe it is best that I — sleep in and be late for work and skip my devotions … or keep a very full schedule and worry about finding time to fit God in later … or ignore my problems and hope they go away … or move away to solve my problems. 

The Good Shepherd is leading us … we need to willingly follow!

Who He Is

Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd comes gently and says 7 statements in the gospel of John to tell us who He is:

BREAD OF LIFE. “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”  Jn. 6:35

 LIGHT OF THE WORLD. “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” Jn. 8:12

THE DOOR. “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” Jn. 10:9

THE GOOD SHEPHERD. ”I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep….I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.” Jn. 10:11, 14

THE RESURRECTION & THE LIFE. “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” Jn. 11:25-26

THE WAY, THE TRUTH, THE LIFE. “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man comes to the Father but by me.” Jn. 14:6

THE TRUE VINE. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” Jn. 15:1-2

I remember being a teen and at a church youth group activity.  Much to my disappointment, my ride needed to leave before the activity was completely over.  I knew I needed to leave, but I REALLY did not want to leave!  Instead, I drug my feet on the departure and made it pretty awkward for my ride.  This revealed my selfishness and refusal “to come” when asked.

The difficult point is that many believers do not want to “come.”  In other words, many do not want to follow.  Many do not want to be led in the paths of righteousness, because many think their way is better.  To put it bluntly, we don’t want to…

• Tithe…we believe our financial plan is better

• Get baptized…we think we are too old or it is not necessary

• Speak truth…we think deception is better than truth

• Submit our will to God…we think it’s depressing to not have our own will embraced

• Listen…we already have all the answers; no one can tell me what to do…I already know everything I need to know.

• Be approved of God…in truth, we want to be approved of mankind more than we want to be approved of God! 

As students of the Bible, we already know that each of these examples are Biblical commands or truths taught in scripture.  It is our selfishness and pride and reveals our refusal “to come” to Jesus.

What We Must Do

When the Klingler’s were going on an extended vacation, they asked their nine-year-old neighbor, Mike, about taking care of the family dog. They explained that the job would require feeding, watering, grooming, walking, and spending plenty of time playing with the dog while giving her lots of love. After covering the job description, they asked what the job would be worth to him. The little boy replied, “I’ll give you ten bucks.” (Source: Unknown. Ministry.org)

Jesus never made light of the cost involved in following Him.  In fact, He made it painfully clear that it was a rugged life of rigid self-denial!  (Luke 9:23)

So, here are 5 practical ways to follow the Shepherd’s Paths:

1.  Love God.  Instead of loving myself most, I am willing to love Christ best and others more than myself. (Matt. 22:37-39)

2.  God-Focused. Fear God above all others. Instead of being one of the crowd, I am willing to be singled out, set apart from the gang. (Prov. 8:13; Eccl. 12:13)

3.  Others Minded. Instead of insisting on my rights, I am willing to forego them in favor of others. (Phil. 2:3)

4.  Servant’s Heart. Instead of being the boss, I am willing to be at the bottom of the heap (especially when I am the boss!). (Mk. 10:45)

5.  Thankful. Instead of finding fault with life and always asking “Why,” I am willing to accept every circumstance of life with an attitude of gratitude. (Ps. 107:1)

A man had a habit of grumbling at the food his wife placed before him at family meals. Then he would ask the blessing. One day after his usual combination complaint-prayer, his little girl asked, “Daddy, does God hear us when we pray?”

“Why, of course,” he replied. “He hears us every time we pray.”

She paused on this a moment, and asked, “Does He hear everything we say the rest of the time?”

“Yes, dear, every word,” he replied, encouraged that he had inspired his daughter to be curious about spiritual matters. However, his pride was quickly turned to humility at his daughter’s next question.

“Then, which does God believe?” (Source: Unknown. Ministry127.org)

 God calls us to be led by Him in the paths of righteousness.  Am I willing to follow?  Am I following while dragging my heals?  Or am I following Him with expectation and anticipation?

* Resource: A Shepherd’s Look at the 23rd Psalm, Phillip Keller

RESTORED: 3 Things the Good Shepherd Does in Restoring Your Soul

Our self-perceived needs are often based on our wants.  Think about it.  We can reason in our minds to say we “need” fancy athletic clothing with a big-name brand on it, access to all social media platforms, constant fast internet connections, $5 cups of coffee, and sharing our opinion on someone else’s preference (“I wouldn’t have done it that way”).  Yet, we can often be slow to reveal our spiritual needs.  We have no problem believing we need to share with others our opinions on politics, healthcare, leadership, and parenting skills…and we don’t care what others think of our opinion (because we believe our way is the only correct way!).  However, when it comes to revealing our spiritual needs, we are often unwilling or overly cautious in doing so.  As a result, we find great spiritual weakness in the church among of very unteachable, opinionated people who call themselves disciples of Jesus Christ!

In Psalm 23 it is the sheep that is speaking of the Good Shepherd.  It is the sheep that declares who his shepherd is and what that means to him. “The Lord is MY shepherd.” So, it is significant that the sheep acknowledges the need for his soul to be restored.  Does your soul need to be restored or revived?  What would that look like?

You and I can come to positions in life where we are in need of restoration, even with the Good Shepherd watching over us.  David, the author of this Psalm, is a good example of this very thing.  He was a man after God’s heart, but he also knew what it was to be cast down and dejected.  He had tasted defeat in his life and felt the frustration of having fallen under temptation.  David knew the feeling of hopelessness and without strength in his own person

Psalm 42:11; 57:1-2.

The Shepherd’s Restoration

The aim would be finding the “cast” sheep. This is the picture of sheep needing to be restored because the sheep has turned over on its back (a “cast” sheep). 

The problem is that this puts the sheep in an extremely dangerous position.  The sheep cannot get up on its own.  If the Shepherd doesn’t come to the sheep’s rescue soon, it will succumb to the elements or a predator.  A cast sheep is in need of intervention!

The prevention the shepherd will provide is to shear the “cast” sheep and keep their coats from getting too thick. A coat that is too thick is often the problem for many cast sheep.

God will often take the pointedness of His Word to cut off rough edges of our life and expose the blind spots.

The Caring Shepherd

the Shepherd’s Resolve 

Keep the sheep on their feet. Keep a watchful eye on the flock. Keep a good count — the shepherd will search for just one lost sheep.

the Shepherd’s Remedy

Turn the cast sheep back over on its feet.  The Shepherd will also need to massage the sheep’s feet/legs to enable the circulation to return.  This process is a slow, patient process for the Shepherd to undertake.

the Sheep’s Enemy: The Predator’s Attack

A predator knows that a cast sheep is easy prey and a meal is not far off when in this position.  The predator is waiting and watching.

A discouraged, cast down believer is easy prey for the attacks of Satan! One Pastor remembered shepherding days in regard to “cast” sheep.  He said, “All the time I worked on the cast sheep, I would talk to it gently, ‘When are you going to learn to stand on your own feet?’  ‘I’m so glad I found you in time – you rascal!’”

The conversation was a combination of tenderness and rebuke – of compassion and correction.  The sheep would regain their equilibrium and begin to walk steadily and surely.  By and by it would dash away to rejoin the others, set free from its fears and frustrations, given another chance to live a little longer.

What a picture of “He restoreth my soul!”  What about you?  Are you struggling…cannot seem to get back on your feet…needing spiritual restoration?  Only the Good Shepherd does the work of restoration.

3 Things the Good Shepherd does when restoring my soul:

1.     He calls me to draw close to Him. 

James 4:8; Psalm 34:10; 63:1; Jeremiah 29:13. God has already made the first move.  The Good Shepherd loved me first! The Good Shepherd continues to pursue me.  The Good Shepherd is also always ready to forgive me and shower me with His mercy when I ask Him.  So, the move that is needed to be made is mine to make!  The Good Shepherd is ready and waiting for the sheep to seek and find Him.  The barriers are of my own making.  Do not use the barriers as the excuse for failure.  Use the barriers as greater opportunities to depend on your loving Shepherd and form deeper relationship with Him.  Walk through the barriers -- by God’s grace -- and draw closer to the Good Shepherd!

2.     He directs my steps. 

Proverbs 3:5-7; 14:12; 16:9. We will stand in a position of humility and surrender when the Lord directs our steps.  We can choose to fight God’s direction and walk our own path – only to discover weeks, months, or even years later that our way was indeed wrong like God said.  We can also choose to surrender to follow God’s path, even if we don’t fully understand it, and discover how His pathway will bring genuine joy & peace...just as God said it would. 

Here’s the point and the warning wrapped up in one statement: we can choose our own way, but we cannot choose the consequences. The Shepherd is so genuinely GOOD that He wrote us all 66 letters by 40 different human authors over a period of 1500 years (the Bible) to reveal our need for gospel receiving, gospel living, and gospel investing ... and point His disciples to a path that does not remove hardship but overflows with joy & peace at the same time. 

And then the bigger point is this -- we can rebel against God or we can surrender to God, but regardless of what we chose, we will always come to realize three things:

1. God is always in control ... 2. God’s way and my own way are just as He described in the Bible ... and 3. God really does love me!

3.     He strengthens my resolve. 

The Lord has a way of deepening my Biblical convictions as He deepens my relationship with Him.  Deeper relationship brings deeper Bible convictions.... deeper Bible convictions strengthens my resolve to stand closer to the Good Shepherd.  The closer to the Good Shepherd we become will reveal to us the sweet place of protection from self, encouragement, evaluation, confession, repentance, holiness, and true love.  This is a great place of spiritual strength and resolve.  So, quickly, consider what is pursued to have a deeper relationship with Jesus:

•  …a faith in God that yields a teachable spirit...but this faith that is needed is small and a non-negotiable! (Psalm 119:66-faith/teachable; Matthew 17:20-baby steps are great; Hebrews 11:6-non-negotiable)

•  …a humble heart of confession and repentance (I John 1:9-confession; II Corinthians 7:1-holiness; James 5:16-confession)

•  …a spirit that is not prone to give up and that is persistent (Acts 17:11)

•  …a sharp focus on God’s character (Genesis 18:14a-power; Exodus 33:14-presence; Jeremiah 23:24-knowledge; John 1:14-truth)

•  …a dependence on God’s matchless grace (Ephesians 2:8; Titus 2:11-salvation; Hebrews 4:16-prayer; II Corinthians 12:9-daily living)

Do whatever you can to deepen your relationship with the Good Shepherd, for it is the Good Shepherd that restores your soul!

THIRSTY: 4 Distractions from Pure Water

Have you ever been so thirsty that when you finally got to a source to drink you drank about three glasses in three breathes?  I can remember working as a college students outside during the summer months.  Throughout the day I would get so thirsty that I didn’t really care what I drank, just so long as I drank something now!  Sometimes I would drink something because it was the first available thing for me to drink -- and I would guzzle down a bunch of pop.  The problem was I was still thirsty when I was done drinking, but I was too full to drink anymore!  I drank from the wrong source… was not satisfied…but there was no more room to drink anymore!

It is absolutely necessary that the child of God quench his thirst with God!

1.     The Role of Water

A sheep is composed of about 70% of water on an average.  All this fluid is used to maintain normal body metabolism.  If dehydration begins to set in, serious damage can be sustained in the sheep’s body, and the sheep can become weak.  In other words, water is necessary for the proper function of the sheep.

The human soul has a capacity and need for the water of the Spirit of God.

If you travel to Greensburg, Kansas, you can pay a visit to what is billed as the “World’s Largest Hand-Dug Well.” Construction on the well began in the 1880s. As the railroads made their way across Kansas, a reliable source of water for the steam engines was essential. The work was done by teams of men using hand tools—shovels, picks, half barrels, pulleys, and rope. As they made their way downward, they lined the well shaft with limestone rock. The finished well is more than one hundred feet deep and more than thirty feet in diameter. It took enormous effort to reach the water, but it produced lasting results.

The Bible likens wise counsel to water in a deep well. Good advice is not just lying around on the surface—it takes work to find. There are plenty of people who have no idea what they are talking about but will be more than happy to give you a “piece of their mind.” And sadly, there will be plenty of people to give you advice that goes directly against the authority and commandments of Scripture. Anyone who wishes to be truly wise and reap the benefits of godly counsel is going to have to reject the simple approach and put forth effort—but the effort is worth it. (Source: Unknown, Ministry127)

 “Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.”—Proverbs 20:5

2.     The Right Kind of Water

When sheep get thirsty they get restless and begin looking for water to drink.  If the Shepherd is not careful, they will drink out of any source they come across, and that opens them up to the possibility of all sorts of diseases and parasites.

So, not only do we need “water” spiritually, but we also need the right kind of water!  I, as the under shepherd of this church, make continual efforts to point the GRACE family to the right source to quench our thirst. 

Where is our thirst being quenched?  We can find ourselves quenching our thirst on things other than the pure source God intended for us.  Consider these 4 distractions from pure water:

1.     Money.

Whether it is a job, investments, savings accounts, a bonus, or an inheritance – money is needed to function in society, but it will not fully satisfy my thirst…no matter how much I obtain. Eccl. 5:10

2.     Substances.

Addiction to illegal or prescription drugs, cigarettes, drunkenness, popularity, immorality, and food – these are often embraced when one is thirsty.  The issue with drinking from the fountain of substances is that they not only leave you wanting more – but they also cause greater dependance on them to quench your thirst … instead of greater dependance on the pure water of the Word. II Cor. 1:3-4; Heb. 4:12

3.     Relationships.

Relationships ought to be blessings from God.  Relationships ought to be reflecting the person of Jesus with greater clarity.  However, when we replace the priority of Jesus with earthly relationships, we will find greater struggle over time. So, instead of drinking at the peaceful stream of the pure Word, we will eventually find ourselves drinking at the uncertain waterfalls in an unpredictable jungle.  II Cor. 1:3-4; Heb. 4:12

PLEASE NOTE: Replacing “the priority of Jesus with earthly relationships” does not show the fruit of struggle quickly.  It is a slower, methodical, downward pathway that reveals itself all too suddenly – leaving you wondering how you got here.

4.      Pride.

This distraction is harder to see at first.  We think we are standing up for our rights…and that we deserve to do so.  We think we have logically reasoned that God’s way of embracing the local church and His commands (i.e.- love God, love one another, give God 1st priority, be part of a local church, and do not lie – to name a few) is not for me…and that this is okay Biblically.  Or, other believers have offended me, so that gives me the right to run from God’s way.  Does it make sense to run from the unlimited God because a limited, sinful human being failed me?  Prov. 16:18-19

The story is told of an old man who was wandering in the desert looking for water. He approached an old shack and on the porch area he found a water pump. Next to the water pump he saw a one-gallon jug. A note on the jug said, “Use all the water to prime the pump.” The man’s instincts said to drink the water and not trust the pump. Nevertheless, he poured the water into the pump and began pumping until an abundance of cool water came to the top. (Source: Unknown, Ministry127.org)

The Bible is like the note on that water jug. Sometimes the instructions contained in the Bible do not make sense to us, but it is always right.

Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for the shall be filled (satisfied).”

When David wrote “He leadeth me beside the still waters” he was saying – He alone knows where the still, quiet, clean, pure water is to be found that alone can satisfy His sheep and keep them fit and strong.

 

3.  The Resting Place of Water

Sheep will get their water from: deep wells, springs or streams, and the dew on the grass. Heavy dew on the grass will sustain sheep each day (unless it is usually hot weather).  They will rise early in the morning (by habit) to feed on the grass with its heavy dew.

There is more than mere coincidence in this understanding for us as children of God in this picture.  Those who are confident in the Lord and able to cope with life’s complexities are those who rise early each day to feed on God’s Word.

Drink at the well that never runs dry…quench your thirst with the pure water of the HS & His Word! 

Know the delight of having your soul satisfied with God’s presence!

FREEDOM: 4 Obstacles that Block True Rest

Part 2 of 2

Text: Psalm 23

One man challenged another to an all-day wood chopping contest. The challenger worked very hard, stopping only for a brief lunch break. The other man had a leisurely lunch and took several breaks during the day. At the end of the day, the challenger was surprised and annoyed to find that the other fellow had chopped substantially more wood than he had.

"I don't get it," he said. "Every time I checked, you were taking a rest, yet you chopped more wood than I did."

"But you didn't notice," said the winning woodsman, "that I was sharpening my ax when I sat down to rest."  (Source Unknown)

Physical and spiritual rest sharpens our focus and abilities. It is vital that we learn to rest in the Lord!

Review from Part 1: Remember, sheep cannot rest with certain obstacles blocking their pathway. Last week we looked at the first two obstacles: freedom from fear and freedom from rivalries. This week we will begin this post with the third obstacle.

3.     Free of Pests

Freedom from the torment of parasites and insects is essential to the contentment of sheep.  Sheep, especially in the summer, can be driven to absolute distraction by nasal flies, bot flies, warble flies and ticks.  When tormented by these pests it is literally impossible for them to lie down and rest.  Instead, they are up and, on their feet, stamping their legs, shaking their heads, ready to rush off into the bush for relief from the pests.*

As a teenager going to a Christian summer camp in the south, I had to learn to deal with the gnats.  They were everywhere.  One day in the week the camp scheduled a lunch in the woods for fun…the fun was difficult to find with the constant cloud of gnats that surrounded us all!  Yawning, a big hearty laugh, or loud cheering were all guarantees of extra protein you would receive from the herd of gnats flying in your wide-open mouth!

A good shepherd will apply various types of insect repellents to his sheep.  He will see that they are dipped to clear their fleeces of ticks.  And he will see that there are shelters of trees and bush available where they can find refuge and release from their tormentors.*

There are bound to be many small irritations in our daily life!  Consider the common pests we face:

1.     There is the constant drain on our finances with unexpected bills – medical bills, car repairs, clothes for the kids, and a tool for work.

2.     There are the interpersonal relationships that are in a position of conflict.

3.     There are constant health concerns.

4.     There is the person at work, a friend, or a relative that never stops talking about one specific subject ... and you do not agree with their opinion.

On a side note: There are also things that Christians do that drive non-Christians crazy; like: a judging spirit, living hypocritical lives, and being pretty bad at friendship.**  It is often harder to see how others view us.  We sometimes think we are easy to get be around and it is only others who drive us crazy.  Well, the truth is, we can drive the unchurched world (and others in the pews) crazy, too!  Unfortunately, we can be pretty good at being pretty bad.

So, what is the antidote to “being so bugged!?”

The answer is found where it is always found – in God Himself.  We, the church of Christ, have the wonderful privilege of the indwelling Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit does the work of teaching and convicting our hearts.  So, we have four antidotes to pursue:

One: Look in the Mirror.  We need to ask the Lord to help us see our side of the wedge.  Sometimes we are so overcome by what we feel are our unwanted pests that we do not even consider we could be the “pest” for the one on the other side of the wedge!  Philippians 2:3. I Timothy 4:12.

Two: Change the Reflection. If we already know, or when we can see, our sinful choices, then we must confess them to God.  The first step to true change is confession of sin. Embrace humility and release the baggage that comes with sinful ways.  Romans 6:13; James 4:6-10.

Three: Blurred Vision. If we feel the presence of pests and are driven to distraction, we need to take time to evaluate our thankful spirit.  When was the last time we gave God thanks? Is our mind so overcome with thoughts of the “pests” that we can only speak of the pests?  Are we quick to give God thanks?  Psalm 100:4; 107:1; I Thessalonians 5:18

 Four: Focus. We cannot lose sight of our mission: disciples of Jesus Christ. Matthew 28:19. It is a grave mistake (that has eternal consequences) to allow “pests” to drive us mad and compromise our testimony for all the world to witness.  The salvation and spiritual growth of others is of greater eternal value than banging the “pests” into submission.  Also, the banging of our heads to remove the pests hurts our own persons more than the pest.  One more thing, the lost are acting like…the lost.  Are we (the church) living like a forgiven child of God indwelt & controlled by the Holy Spirit?

Often, a helpful approach is to simply state, “Lord, this is beyond me.  I cannot cope with it. It is bugging me.  I cannot rest…please take over!” 

With true dependence on the Lord comes true rest from the pests.  I am then able to lie down in green pastures – to rest – all because of what He does and who He is!

4.  Free from fear of hunger

Many great sheep countries of the world are dry, semi-arid areas.  Most breeds of sheep flourish best in this sort of terrain.  They are susceptible to fewer hazards of health or parasites where the climate is dry.  But in those same regions it is neither natural nor common to find green pastures. Palestine (where David wrote this Psalm and kept his father’s flocks) is a dry, brown, sun-burned wasteland (especially near Bethlehem). Green pastures did not come by chance in this region – it came by the owner’s choice of hard work and preparation of land to bring about green pastures. This requires lots of skill and hard work!  But the green pastures are essential to the success of the sheep.*

This is much the same picture as the Lord does in the fields of our lives as we move from sin into the transformed life of victory!  Look at the skills of the Good Shepherd in the fields of our lives as His sheep:

…He removes the rocks of stony unbelief

…He removes the destructive roots of bitterness

…He works to break the hard, proud heart like the shepherd does the hard sun-dried clay! 

…He then sows the seed of His Word

…He waters it with the presence of His Holy Spirit

…He continually cultivates the ground to bring about a beautiful green pasture! 

Our Good Shepherd brings us to such green pastures and demonstrates His desire to see our best interests served!  His care for me and for you is really beyond our comprehension!

We are all offered options, like lying or the truth, hard work or laziness, love or hate, and forgiveness or bitterness.  Sometimes, we find our way to logically reason that bad is good and good is bad.  In other words, we somehow logically reason in our minds that my way of sun-dried barren brown ground is somehow better than God’s green pastures. You see, the sheep cannot cultivate the green pastures like the Good Shepherd is constantly work to provide for His sheep.

Our Good Shepherd cares for His sheep!  Do not turn to the barren, brown, sun-dried clay the world offers as something “good,” lie in the green pastures the Lord has so wonderfully prepared for His sheep!  But to do that, you need to find God’s provided freedom from fear, rivalries, pests, and hunger.  So, run to Christ!

*Source: A Shepherd’s Look at the 23rd Psalm, by Phillip Keller

**Source: Carey Nieuwhof blog