Psalm 23
Jesus is with us in the
1. Cry of Life
for relationship – the Lord is my shepherd
- not shepherdless
- not any other – the Lord
- not just a shepherd or the shepherd but my shepherd
- not will be or may be but is
How? recognising him – voluntarily giving our lives to him
for security – I shall not be in want – comfort, fear, worry, covetousness all taken care of
contentment – not the goal, but the starting point
for food – something to fill, to satisfy – to fill our emptiness, hunger in green pastures
His Word – food for our minds, our emotions, our spirits, our bodies
He makes me – not work, not fight, not suffer, but – rest – eat – grow
for refreshment – peace – still waters – Holy Spirit
dry and thirsty – Is 55 come to the waters and drink freely
a trustworthy source.
emphasis – commitment or receiving
for breath – restores my soul – breathed into man – living soul
spiritual breathing –
spiritual exercise – they that wait upon the Lord…
older you get, the more you need it?
2. Calling of Life – he leads me in paths of righteousness, for his name’s sake
calling – for his name – life for his honour – (Kevin in bank)
– if path you are on is not righteous – he has not led you there (all we like sheep..)
– any path he has led you on or is guiding you on is the right path – even when it seems to lead to a “dead end”.
It will honour him if we walk in his path without understanding why.
3. Crises of Life – though I walk through the valley – not a dwelling place.
shadow – passes
difficult dark days – mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically
fear no evil to body, mind, emotions, spirit
you are with me
crook and club – care and protection defence
There are times when we are not expected to fight for ourselves.
4. Conflicts of Life – they will come – battle-scarred wounded soldiers
fit battle into life, not life into the battle
we are not to fight on an empty stomach
whenever we face a conflict, however unprepared we are, the Holy Spirit has already made his preparations. You prepare
5. Challenges of Life – anointed – chosen, set apart, Christed
live under the anointing – don’t go outside it
step into the place of his calling – step into the place of his anointing
cup overflows – Holy Spirit resources and flow to meet the challenge
Acts – new challenges – filled with the Holy Spirit
2v4 pentecost, 4v8 before the council, 4v31 threats/prayermeeting
9v17 Saul 13v8 facing sorcerer
serving others from the overflow of the Holy Spirit in our lives
6. Changes of Life – surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
looking around, or ahead, sometimes we don’t recognise them.
-looking back we see them
– reassurance as we grow older! – all the days of my life
changing seasons of our lives – Goodness and Mercy – the clearing-up angels – mopping up everything behind us. Mercy is the word chesed – lovingkindness.
7. Context of Life – we live our lives in the context of our home
our place of belonging is God’s home – in togetherness with all his family. – “we go in and out and find pasture”
free access – Kingdom of God is at hand
context of our life is our place of belonging with Jesus
context of our life here is that we are operating out of our heavenly home – and that while we live in our tent here, our permanent residence is booked and prepared.
– permanent, won’t be repossessed, all paid for, not going to deteriorate, no rent to pay…