Obedience Comes With Sacrifice

     Yesterday we talked about Mary's obedience. That obedience came with a sacrifice. Our obedience comes with a sacrifice. I remember a statement that stuck with me from a study called 'Experiencing God'. "Following God is costly to you and to others." I confess that many times I have had a skewed viewpoint of obedience. I have really believed that if you are obedient, God will make your path easy! I know, it doesn't say that anywhere in scripture, but sometimes we maneuver scripture to say what we want it to say. When it took a year to sell our house so we could leave for seminary, I was really frustrated with God. I didn't want to go to seminary when Dwayne first brought it up to me. Then we visited the seminary and God showed me through many signs that Dwayne was suppose to attend seminary and so Dwayne and I knelt in a hotel room and surrendered to the ministry. I was sure He was going to reward us by selling our house the next week. I found myself excited to go to seminary and to start our new life. Well, God didn't sell our house that quickly and we missed the Fall AND Spring Enrollment. My frustration increased. I remember telling God that I thought He was being cruel, and He was playing me. First, I didn't want to go to seminary, then He changed my mind, then He wouldn't let us go. I just didn't get why obedience had to be so hard. (Now remember, I shared with you yesterday about why we had the delay; it was all God's timing. I hadn't learned that lesson yet!)
I don't know what Mary thought, but time would show she had some difficult times as well. After Mary returned from being with Elizabeth, it was time to face the people. Scripture doesn't say anything about her telling her parents, however, I do not think it is a stretch to assume she had to share the news with them. After all, she had no idea what would happen with Joseph. I know there is nothing more difficult than for a young girl to look into the eyes of her father and explain how she ended up pregnant. In this case, how could she convince him that she was still a virgin. I can't imagine what I would do if Brittne tried to use that excuse! Next in line was Joseph. There were many choices Joseph had. He could disgrace her publicly because stoning her to death was an option. Having her family and friends disown her was another. No man would ever have her after what she had done if Joseph disgraced her. Scripture tells us that he was a righteous man and he did not want to make this a public disgrace for her, so he was going to quietly divorce her and send her away. However, as Joseph slept, God spoke to him. An angel told him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife and that the baby she was carrying was conceived from the Holy Spirit. The angel reminded him of prophesy about a virgin birth and that the prophesy was being fulfilled. When Joseph woke, he married Mary and he was not intimate with her until after Jesus was born. Okay, that was hard but God was faithful to turn it around. But before she could get too comfortable, it turned hard again. She had to ride a donkey to Bethlehem. I know I would have said, "Are you kidding me, I have to ride a donkey. Does anyone remember that I am pregnant and getting close to delivery?" Hopefully, she would get there in time. When they did arrive, she was in labor and she couldn't even find a warm room with a bed to deliver God's Son. How could God expect her to deliver in a cave for animals? Wasn't she better than the animals? But again, she didn't have a choice. Where was her mother, her family and friends? Why did she have to be alone? No midwife either, only Joseph to deliver the baby? I would have been a little scared if Dwayne had to deliver one of our children! If anybody had a reason to complain, it would be Mary. Yet, we do not hear anything from her. She stays in the spirit of obedience. She continues to trust God and He was faithful to provide for every need. It just wasn't in the way she wished or expected.
     Has obedience brought you hard times? Do you think things should be easy if you obey? How do you react when it isn't? Do you complain and feel abandoned and misled? Or do you trust God no matter what path He chooses for you to walk? Maybe your obedience is healing your marriage? Maybe it is ending a relationship that has gone too far? Maybe it is giving up an addiction? Maybe it is leaving a place or thing you love? Whatever it is, it will take sacrifice. You can trust God to always provide for you, maybe not in the way you want or expect, but He will always work it out according to His plan. Can you trust Him? The blessing of obedience is greater than the cost of the sacrifice! Don't rob yourself of the blessing!

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Luke 2:1-7

Mary Did You Know?

     Motherhood is a huge blessing but sometimes it can be so confusing. As my children entered the teenage years, I started having an internal conflict. It is a conflict that I have never conquered. There is a part of me that wants to know the problems and the situations my children get into. However, there is another part of me that loves not knowing and not having to deal or face those situations. In that fantasy land, where I love to live, my children are happy, not doing anything they shouldn't, all is great! However, as a mother I felt I needed to know what they were doing, so I could keep them away from harm. Many mothers face this same conflict. That is what drives us to read their letters from school, or spy on them, or check their phone bills. With Bryce, he would just come and confess to me about every six months. With Brittne, I had informers and then I would pretend that I got a message from God. I hated finding out things. They are both adults now and I still hate finding out things. They will tell me things they did or things they lied to me about and it still frustrates me. This is my personal love-hate relationship with facts. I want to know: I don't want to know.
    I am sure Mary had the same conflict. She had given birth to a beautiful baby boy, not only God's Son, but hers. Yet, Gabriel had told her and Joseph that Jesus was the prophesied Messiah. We all wonder how much did she know. One of our favorite current Christmas songs, written by Mark Lowry, asks the question, "Mary did you know?" I am sure there was a part of her that wanted to enjoy her sweet little boy and pretend he would grow up and be a normal man, living around the corner, married, happy, and with her grandchildren. But what Gabriel had told them was part of the prophesy. As much as she wanted her son to live a life around the corner like all mothers do, it didn't seem like that was going to happen. Being a "want to know" mother, she probably at least talked to somebody who would tell her about the prophesy (a Jewish woman didn't have access to the Tora, what we call the old testament, only men did). I don't believe she knew anything other than what Gabriel told them and what was prophesied. However, that was enough to break a mother's heart. The prophesy said, the Savior, her son, would be betrayed, hung on a cross between two thieves, speared in the side, beard would be plucked out, lots cast for his clothes, despised, etc. How did she live with this? Each time she saw her perfect child filling her with joy, maybe she would have flashes of the future. I will never forget the look on my mother's face when I laid in a hospital bed at age 6. She would stare at me with a look I have never seen since. The doctors had told her I was going to die. I even asked her why she was looking at me that way and crying. She made up some excuse. The difference is, as Jesus grew older, He knew what those looks were all about. He would be able to go over and hug her, probably without a word. I think they had this unspoken understanding between them, that they both knew He was the Son of God. At age 10, when he stayed at the temple, when asked why He would put His parents through such heartache, He said, "did you not know I would be about my Father's business?" It was like He was saying, "Mom, you know who I am. Why would you worry about me being in trouble of some kind? Why didn't you know I would be here?" Then when He was older at the wedding, when asked to help with the wine, He says, "my time has not yet come." or "Mom, there is a timing. We both know who I am but I have to wait for my ordained time."
     Mary though blessed to have been chosen as the mother of Jesus, paid the price of obedience every day. If you saw what your future held, how would it effect you? Would you get mad at God for the hard times you see coming? Would you say "why should I serve Him if I am going to end up having to endure trials and suffering"? Or would you serve Him more because you know you will need Him desperately? I don't believe I would want to know. I have a hard enough time keeping myself where I need to be today. I couldn't add tomorrow on top of that. Mary's obedience was amazing not just for the things she endured bringing our Savior into this world but for the faithful way she carried out her calling of the mother of God's son. From the manger to the cross, she observed the miracles, the blessings, and the abuse. I can not imagine her feelings at Calvary, seeing her child beaten to hamburger meat, spit upon, and nailed to a cross. It was the end. The end of her child's life, the end of her calling, the end of years of penned up emotions. Yet, looking at Him as her Savior, she knew it was the beginning of redemption. I am sure that when it came her turn to stand before her Son in Heaven, He said to her, "well done, my good and faithful servant, and mother." May we serve Him with the same obedience as Mary.

Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Luke 2:19

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1oHJR2g7Tw

How's Your Obedience?

      When I say the word ‘obedience’ what comes to mind? In the world we live in today, obedience isn’t considered as noble as it once was. Many couples take the word ‘obey’ out of their vows. Women are taught to think for themselves and to never obey a husband. Our children are not forced to obey their parents, or their teachers, or actually any person of authority. I think that is because we have lost respect for people in positions of authority. Every day, our children see people we once respected fall into all kinds of scandals. We have seen pastors, policemen, judges, teachers, coaches, bosses, parents, spouses, athletes, politicians, celebrities, and even the president fall big and in a very public manner. Each time we see the public display of the wrongs done by those we admired and respected, obedience becomes more and more diminished in our hearts and our actions. Without respect, obedience is difficult. This is a bad road to go down because the next step is to not respect God and thus not be obedient to Him. We already see this happening.
I must admit, obedience is hard for me. Many people see me as someone who has been obedient to God. I usually end up in the place of obedience but my journey to that spot isn’t what it should be. It seems like I have to stress over it, try every way possible to maneuver another way, argue over it, and be worn down to the point of giving up my desires and listen. At that point, peace enters my heart and soul and I know that if I do not be obedient to God’s direction, I will never experience true happiness and peace. Sometimes obedience means listening to my husband, sometimes it is fixing a relationship that I have damaged, sometimes it is ministering in a new way, sometimes it is moving to a new place, sometimes it is letting go, and sometimes it is doing new things. The bottom line is the fact that if I say that I love and respect God, then I must show it in obedience.
      Mary is a woman of obedience. She amazes me. I so admire her! I do not worship her but I believe she is one of the great examples of what it means to be a follower of God. Mary was approximately 15 years old and was engaged to a man named Joseph. It was what we call an arranged marriage. In those days, being engaged was as binding as being married. You could not just call off an engagement and one was expected to be as devoted and faithful in an engagement as they were in a marriage. I believe Mary was a woman of strong faith. She was a Jewish woman in heart and deed. I believe this for two reasons. God found favor in her and she immediately stood on her faith when she was faced with the impossible. One day, Mary got the surprise of her life. Out of the clear blue, Gabriel, the same angel who spoke to Zachariah and Elizabeth, appeared to Mary. Gabriel greeted Mary and told her that she was highly favored by God and that the Lord was with her. Mary was a little shocked with this greeting and was confused and bewildered. I don’t believe we ever see our self as wonderfully as God does! Gabriel told her she was going to have a son and she was to name Him Jesus. He then proceeded to tell her how great He would be. Mary was even more confused at this information because she was a virgin. Gabriel then said the child would be the Holy One and He would be the Son of God. He told her about Elizabeth so she could see that God does the impossible. Her next response shows how amazing her faith and obedience was to God. She said, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as You have said.” The angel left and immediately Mary hurried to see Elizabeth. Her first words to Elizabeth was what she probably had been pondering the whole time, “Why me? Why am I so favored? How am I good enough for the Lord to come to me? “ At that moment, John leaped in Elizabeth’s womb for joy. This confirms Mary was with child at this time. It happened at some time between the Gabriel’s visit and John leaping. Elizabeth told her that she was blessed because she believed that what the Lord said would be accomplished!
      Mary wasn’t like me! She didn’t waste time working through the acceptance of God’s will. She accepted before her conversation with Gabriel was over and she immediately went to Elizabeth. How is your obedience? How long does it take you to be obedient? Do you respect God and His authority in your life? Respect and obedience go together!

Luke 1: 26-45

God Hears; God Cares

     My favorite Christmas story characters are very unusual but it is how Luke began his story. It is Zachariah and Elizabeth. I know some of you are asking who they are or how do they have anything to do with the story. They actually are a part of the preparation of the birth of Jesus and I am going to spend the next three days talking about them. Today lets start at the beginning like Luke did.
Zachariah and Elizabeth were honored people due to their family lineage. Zachariah was a priest. They loved and served God and they were what we would call ‘really good Christians’. They had a life struggle though. They did not have children. Elizabeth wasn’t able to get pregnant. In those days, that was a disgrace. The culture taught that if a couple didn’t have children they were cursed by God and God must have issues with them as He was withholding his blessing from them. Can you imagine being Elizabeth? She loved and served God but yet all she got in return was disgrace. They had lost all hope of having a child because they were old in age and Elizabeth was way beyond child bearing years. More than likely, all of her friends had children. She must have always felt out of place as they all had children. She lived with humiliation every day but never took her eyes off God. How many times do you think she poured her heart out to God asking Him for a child and questioning why He didn’t hear her? She probably wondered why He didn’t care, why she had to endure this shame. Many would become angry with God and turn away from serving Him. However, they stayed faithful. All priest took their turns going into the Holy of Holies to offer sacrifices for the people. This extreme honor only happened once or twice in their lifetime. Zachariah went into the Holy of Holies and when He did God spoke to him. God told him that he and Elizabeth were going to have a child. They did have a son and named him John. After years of wondering if God heard their prayers and if He cared, they got what they prayed for. However, the answer was far more amazing than what they could have possibly imagined. Not only did they get a child, they got a son. Not only did they get a son, but they got a son that was going to prepare the way for the coming Messiah! The final blessing was that Jesus, the Messiah, said their son was the greatest born among men. What an answer to prayer!
      Have you ever felt like God ignored your prayers? Does it seem that He will never answer you? Have you experienced disgrace and wondered why God didn’t deliver you? Have you gotten mad at God and walked away from him? Take heart in the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth. God does care. God does hear you. He might not answer the way He did with Zechariah and Elizabeth, but He will do something amazing in His timing. Something you can’t imagine! Do not turn away from Him. There is nothing or no one else worthy to turn to. Keep your eyes on God and stay faithful in your walk. God has not and will not abandon you! In His perfect timing, in His perfect plan He will answer, and the answer will be far more perfect than you asked for or hoped for.

In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years. Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.
Luke 1: 5 - 11

I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.
Matthew 11:11

Is There A Difference In The Way You Celebrate Christmas?

     Since I was a new Christian, I have been challenged with one question. "Am I different than a non-Christian?" That question as been presented many different ways, according to my age and life situation. "Could someone at school tell I am a Christian, or do I act the same as those that do not know Jesus?" "If someone came into my home would they know it was a home of Christians?' "Could someone look at the books on my shelf and know that I am a follower of Jesus?" "Do people I work with know that I a Christian?" "Can my children's teachers and coaches tell that their parents are Christians?" "What if someone's only picture of Jesus was me?"
     Dwayne and I set a goal early in our marriage to strive to represent Jesus in all areas of our life. We have not always succeeded but it is what we strive to do. Many Christmas's ago, we realized that our home's Christmas decorations were not much different than those who do not know personally the One we celebrate Christmas for. Now don't get me wrong, I love lights, trees, ornaments, snowmen, snowflakes, Santas, greenery and bows. The problem was not what I had but what I didn't have. To me, it is like having a sweet sixteen birthday party for a young lady and decorating for a 6 year old boy with Spiderman. You could tell it was a party, and even a birthday party but it really wouldn't represent the person who was having the birthday. We asked our self the same question we had always be challenged by, "If someone walked into our home during the Christmas season could they tell that we were Christians?" We wanted the answer to this question to be 'YES'! We began to make some changes.

• We put a nativity scene in every room we decorated.
• We hung stockings with our names on them and we added a stocking with Jesus' name on it. Then each of us would write on a piece of paper the gift we were giving Jesus for His birthday and the next year we would read them.
• We had a family Bible on the coffee table and opened it to the Christmas story . Before we opened our gifts on Christmas morning we would then read that amazing story.
• We would prepare a birthday cake for Jesus. (I was sure his favorite cake was the same as mine, so that is what I would make!) We would then sing Happy Birthday to Jesus.
• We would read the Christmas story bfoe we open presents.
• We would pray after we opened our presents and thank the Lord for all He gives us.
• Some years I wrote on the gift tags. 'this gift is being given in honor of Jesus and the gift of eternal life that He gives us'.

     We still look for new ways to keep Jesus in a place of honor at His birthday celebration. We do not want Him to disappear in the background. After all, Jesus is the reason for the season!
Let me ask you the same question we asked ourselves, "If someone walked into your home during the Christmas season could they tell it was the home of followers of Jesus Christ? Or does it look the same as those that do not follow Jesus Christ?" To go one step further, "If someone showed up at your house on Christmas day, would they see the guest of honor? What can you add to your birthday party to bring more focus to the One you are celebrating?

Live in such a way that you are a credit to the Message of Christ.

Philippians 1:27

What Do I Leave Behind?

     Between writing on Psalms 23 and Christmas, I haven’t written about me in weeks. I have been to Ft. Worth twice to see my granddaughter (Oh, and of course to see my son and daughter in-law too)! As much as I hate to admit it, each day (if not every hour) is full of ‘Tonya blunders’. One of the things that fall into this category is that I have a tendency to leave things behind. Yesterday, Brittne left for a work trip and she stood at the door and verbally ran through what she needed to take to make sure she had everything. I usually do not have time for that. I might pack a week early but when it is time to leave, I look around and grab everything I see I need to take with me, and out the door I go. That is why, on both of my last two trips to Ft Worth, I left a single shoe and they weren’t even to the same pair. When they brought my shoes to me from Texas (along with a few other things), I heard the same old saying I have heard my entire life, “Only you would or could do this!”
     Another event happened in the last few weeks . . . I turned 50! I am still in shock. However, turning 50 and becoming a grandmother has made me do a lot of pondering about life. The average lifespan is 75 years of age. If that average is true for me, I have only a third of my life left to live. As my mind was juggling my new age, my new role, and my lack of ability to keep up with my stuff, it produced a whopper of a question for me. What do I want to leave behind? I am afraid that what I unintentionally leave behind me is not what I want to be remembered for. How I wish I could turn back time and do it all over again! However, I bet my flesh would mess it all up no matter how many times I took a retake.
      So, my only choice is to start becoming more conscious of what I am leaving behind. Every day matters! Every moment matters! Every encounter matters!
Do I leave behind turmoil – or peace?
Do I leave behind bitterness – or forgiveness?
Do I leave behind conflict – or contentment?
Do I leave behind frustration – or joy?
Do I leave behind judgment – or grace?
Do I leave behind foolishness – or wisdom?
Do I leave behind hate – or love?
Do I leave behind me – or Jesus?
     Our choices determine our legacy. What imprint are you going to make on the hearts you leave behind?

You are the light of the world.  . . . let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:14, 16

A Baby Changes Everything!

     Before Dwayne and I had children life was carefree. We had to manage jobs, finances and each other but for the most part all went fairly smooth. We could be hanging out at home and say, let’s go to the movies and we could be up and out the door in two minutes. We could stay out late at a friend’s house or go on a weekend trip on the spur of the moment. Then we got what we wanted and prayed for, a baby. I am here to tell you that a baby changes everything: our schedule, our sleep, our eating, our budget, and our friendships. Spur of the moment events quickly become an event of the past. It takes at least an hour to pack the diaper bag, the stroller, the high chair, the car seat, the carrier, and clothes for everyone because you never know when you are going to be vomited on. Most importantly, a baby changed our definition of love and family. We never knew the real meaning of love until we were responsible for a precious, helpless, life. In a totally new way, we truly realized God's awesomeness and what a blessing it is to be entrusted with a life that He created. Both of my babies changed everything about me. Their impact on my life is indescribable. (Dwayne:  Children help you become who God has planned.)
     There is another Baby that changed everything about my life. He was royalty in a Heavenly Kingdom. He walked away from all of His splendor and was born in a manger. He walked this earth, teaching and healing. He lived a perfect life and died for me to redeem me from my sins and to give me the gift of eternal life with Him in His Heavenly kingdom. Without Him, I would live in a dark world, void of peace, true love, and hope. I would be a slave to sin and would serve a deceptive, lying, evil ruler of darkness. I would spend eternity separated from God and in the domain of Satan in a fiery place of torment.

    Praise God, because of this amazing baby, everything changed. I accepted His gift of eternal life with Him and I have peace, love, and hope. He empowers me to endure the trials of this life and He gives me joy in all circumstances. I am who I am because of Who He is!
    Has this baby changed you? Christmas is a wonderful opportunity to remember how different our world and our lives would be without this amazing baby! Watch this video,( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMj084Ggwww ), listen to the words and remember the impact this baby, this Savior, has had on you. Remember the impact He has had on EVERYTHING!!

The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:10-11

Mary Christmas!

     One thing we tend to talk about a lot during the Christmas season is how 'busy' we are. We can get so busy shopping, cooking, wrapping, attending parties, decorating, and cleaning, that the month just flies by. It can get even worse when we add church programs, rehearsals, and parties! We end up asking, "What happened to all the things that I wanted to do?" Dwayne and I have asked that question more times than we like. This year we have committed again not to let the holidays get away from us. Each year, my goal for Christmas is to spend some intimate time with God, worshipping Him for the gift of His Son and to remember the sacrifice Jesus paid for me by being willing to come to the earth as a helpless baby. However, year after year, the busyness sabotages my goal.
     In the Bible, there are two women who demonstrate this conflict in a story that plays out like a perfectly written drama. It is the story of sisters named Mary and Martha. They each loved Jesus. They were both great women. They each had the same goal; to show Jesus how much they loved him. However, they went about it in two completely different ways. Martha wanted to show her love by serving. She wanted everything to be perfect for Jesus. No sandwiches were good enough for this amazing man. He deserved a culinary spread fit for the honored guest He was. However, that takes effort and work. I can see her running around the kitchen trying to pull off this amazing dinner and all she needed was for someone to care like she did and to come help her. Why would her sister be so inconsiderate? Why is she in the other room instead of helping her? I can see it so clearly because I have had those fits before myself. My family can vouch for it. Mary was being so inconsiderate because she had another way of showing her love to Jesus. She wanted to spend time with him. She wanted to learn what He was teaching. She realized what a special blessing it was to be able to sit at His feet and soak Him in. When she focused on Him all the pulls of life just faded away. I have experienced this as well, but not nearly as many times as I wish I had because I am too busy being Martha. Martha tried to get Jesus on her side. She asked Him to tell Mary to stop being so lazy and to get up and help. Mary knew how much work it took and Martha wanted Jesus to scold her and tell her to get into the kitchen and help her. He must have heard that prayer millions of times since He created the first woman. However, Jesus didn't answer the way Martha had hoped. He basically told Martha that she is stressed out way too much. She is the one that is creating all the work. He told her that when it comes down to it, Mary is making the better choice. He would rather us spend time at His feet than running around trying to serve Him. Have you ever thought of it that way? Have you ever prayed like Martha? It would sound something like this, "Jesus, I am just trying to help You. I am serving You and want it to be the best it can be because You deserve nothing less. Can't You tell the others to volunteer and come help me. Do they think that this just happens by itself? They know it takes work. Why can't they see I need help? Convict them please and tell them to help me!" God's answer to this prayer hasn't changed since He answered Martha. He still says to stop stressing out about serving Him and to make the better choice, which is to spend time at His feet.  There are times to serve and there are times to listen quietly.  In this case, listening was more important.
     Who do you want to be like this Christmas season? Martha or Mary? Let me share with you a way to remember to make the better choice. Every time you hear 'Merry Christmas' translate that as 'Mary Christmas' and remember to get out of the kitchen this Christmas and sit at the feet of Jesus who was born in a manger to be our Lord and Savior.

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to Him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.

Luke 10:38-42

Whose Pasture Are You Eating Out Of?

     Today we are going to look at the last part of Psalm 23. I hope you see this passage in a new way and that you will depend on its truths. The last words of this passage are, “And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever!” I always thought this meant that I would live in heaven forever, which is true. However, it has additional meaning. The passage began with a bold, declarative statement, “The Lord is my shepherd” and now we end with a bold, declarative statement, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” All the other statements in between is based on the actions of the shepherd. These two statements are statements of choice by the sheep. We have a Good Shepherd who will take care of everything we need but He gives us our choice whether we are going to be under his care.
     Phillip Keller gives an illustration in his book where he tells a story of his neighbor who was a terrible shepherd. His creatures under the ownership of this heartless rancher were poor, abused, and neglected. They were sickly with disease, scabs, and parasites. They were so weak and thin they could barely stand. They would stay at the fence with their gnawing hunger and long to be on the other side. They wanted to be where there were green pastures, where the sheep were healthy, content, and productive. They would roam the fence for an opening and when they would occasionally find a way to get to the greener side, they would enter and feast on the luxurious foliage. However, since they are not use to this rich indulgence they would often become severely sick. One day, Phillip found three sick, helpless, cast down sheep that had wondered over from the other side. Since these sheep did not belong to him, he put them in a wheelbarrow and took them to his neighbor. The heartless neighbor didn’t want to be bothered with caring for the sheep he could care less about, so he took out a killing knife and slit their throats.
     This is a sad story but what I find even sadder is that the sheep on the side of the Good Shepherd would also stand on the fence line wanting to find a way to the barren, disease ridden side ran by a heartless shepherd. Too many Christians want to go back and forth between the pastures of sin and Godliness. They would love to live with a revolving door.
     When we as Christians hold on to things of our old self, wanting the passing pleasures of sin, we are making a statement that our Good Shepherd does not provide the best of everything for us. We are declaring that there are some greater things on the side of sin. They are willing to take the risk of what the heartless, evil, owner of the land of sin will do to them.
     David is declaring that this is not the case with him. He has no desire to be in any other pasture than that of the Good Shepherd. He is not going to look for a way to visit any other pastures. He doesn’t want to be out of the control or out of the presence of his Good Shepherd.
    What about you? What is on the other side of the fence that draws you? What sin pasture do you want to feed in? When you have the best that can be offered, why do you want anything else?
     It all comes down to this; live ever aware of God’s presence and let His presence direct you, care for you, and comfort you! Whose pasture are you going to live in? Who are you going to let shepherd you?

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters for His namesake. He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 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

Information taken from the book “A shepherd Looks at Psalm 23” by Phillip Keller

How Does the Future Make You Feel?

     I want you to search your heart and honestly answer the following question: “If I look into my future, I fear that …” How will you answer? I won’t have money to pay my bills; I will have health problems; I will get hurt again; I will lose my spouse; my children won’t be walking with the Lord; I won’t achieve my goals; or I won’t be happy are many of the fears that many people live with.
     When David declares that ‘surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life’, he was not only boasting in his shepherd but he was declaring a bold statement that he is confident in the sound, sympathetic, intelligent shepherding of his Master! If his Master takes care of all of his needs by providing fresh, still water and luxurious green pastures; if his Master will search endlessly to restore him when he is cast down; if his Master walks through the dangers of the valleys with him; if his Master walks before him and leads him to the mountain tops; if his Master disciplines and protects him with his rod and guides him with his staff, and if his Master protects him from the craziness of flies in the head; then how could he see anything in his life but his shepherd’s endless goodness, love and mercy.
     From a spiritual view, how could you see anything in your life but your Good Shepherd’s endless goodness, love and mercy! Jesus declares that as the Good Shepherd, He gives His life for His sheep. He gave everything for you and me to give us all we need.
     Can you boast in His care or are you going to keep fearing the future?

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters for his namesake. He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life . . .

Psalm 23:1-6a

Information taken from the book “A shepherd Looks at Psalm 23” by Phillip Keller

Need An Oil Bath?

      I finally get to share the story that lead me to go through Psalm 23 with you. I was once again watching the show ‘Emergency’. A lady came into the ER and she was literally going crazy. She didn’t make sense, wouldn’t hold still, and continued to scream that she had bugs in her head. Several doctor’s had chalked her behavior up to a mental situation. They were contemplating admitting her to the psyche unit. Then as the doctor was examining her, he noticed a worm coming out of her head and then it went back in to the scalp. The doctor was able to remove several long worms that had embedded, hatched, and grown in the woman’s scalp! Immediately, when the worms were removed, her sanity returned.
   That episode reminded me about what happens to sheep when they get nose flies. These flies fly into the sheep’s nose, maneuvers itself into the head and literally drives them crazy. The sheep will beat its head on trees or rocks trying to relieve the torture and when all else fails, they run off the cliff for permanent relief. The shepherd prevents nose flies by rubbing oil on the sheep’s head. It works like a repellent and keeps the flies away from the sheep’s nose.
      “I am going crazy!”, “I feel like I am beating my head on a rock!”, “I feel like jumping off a cliff!” are all comments we make when our thoughts are tormenting us! Our thoughts are like nose flies and Satan is the one that shoots them our way. However, Jesus, our Good Shepherd, tells us to take every thought captive and measure it up by obedience of Christ. The Holy Spirit is our oil and He helps us evaluate our thoughts, dismiss the ones that are not of God, and develop discipline in our thinking.
     Do you have some out of control nose flies that are driving you crazy? Is it time to let Jesus oil you down with the Holy Spirit. Give up your mind torturing thinking for the peace of mind that comes from staying under the control of your Good Shepherd!

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me. He prepares a table before my enemies. He anoints my head with oil.

Psalm 23:1-5

Information taken from the book “A shepherd Looks at Psalm 23” by Phillip Keller

He Goes Before Us

     Before a shepherd took his sheep to the mountain top for the summer and before he led them through the valley, he would prepare the way. He would make several scouting trips. He would chart out the best path, look out for any prey, search for the best streams and pastures, and clear the ground of poisonous weeds and plants. The shepherd was totally trustworthy because he had cleared the way and knew the chosen path. He wasn’t surprised by the dangers and the enemies that surrounded them. He knew what was present and he knew how to defend his sheep. He knew how to walk the sheep through the valley and how to feed them on the mountain top. He was just as much in control and watching over his sheep from the mountain top as he was in the valley.
     It reminds me of being a parent. Am I more of a parent when my child is walking through a valley or when they are happy on the mountain top? Do I care and protect them more when they are walking through the valley? Absolutely not! My role and my responsibilities do not change with the circumstances and neither does our Good Shepherd's. He takes care of us as much on the mountain top as He does in the valley. He provides everything we need and does so right in front of our enemy, Satan. Jesus is well aware that the devil is roaming around trying to find a way to devour us. However, our Great Shepherd has gone before us and planned out our journey. He has determined the path, removed the poisonous foliage in our lives, and has laid out for us blessings; all right in front of our enemy that He alone has conquered.
     Can you trust your Shepherd no matter where He leads: whether you are going through the valley or hanging out on the mountain top? Always remember that it is our circumstances that change and it is never the character of our Shepherd!

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me. He prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

Psalm 23:1-4

Information taken from the book “A shepherd Looks at Psalm 23” by Phillip Keller

Sacrifice of Thanksgiving

     Today is my Thanksgiving dinner for my family so I am in the kitchen cooking.  Here is one of my favorite lessons from last Thanksgiving.
     As I was reading over the scriptures of thanksgiving, I noticed there was a phrase that appeared repeatedly. It was the phrase, 'sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise'. I have pondered the relationship between sacrifice and thanksgiving. What does that really mean? Doesn't the word sacrifice mean to give up something you want or need? Again, how does this fit together? When things do not make sense, you have to go back to the original meaning of the word. The Greek word for sacrifice is 'the act of offering' and the Hebrew word can mean 'gift', a gift of tribute. Now it is starting to make sense. We are to give praise and thanksgiving to God as an act of offering a gift of tribute
     I will make a confession to you. At times, I have wrapped a gift by sticking it in a WalMart sack. If I needed to step it up a bit, I have even put the present in a used gift bag. However, I still put it in the WalMart sack first because I didn't have any tissue paper. I know some of you are shaking your head in agreement because you have received one of those gifts from me! Now, let me also say, there have been times when I have given a very special gift and I put the effort into making the presentation of it as special as the gift. I placed the gift in a perfectly sized box, with nicely folded tissue paper, wrapped in beautiful paper, with crisp folds around the corners and folded edges instead of cut edges, all with double sided tape, beautiful ribbons, and a fluffy bow. You could just look at the gift and know that I took time, effort, and love to demonstrate honor to the recipient.
     When you give your praise and thanksgiving to God, how are you offering it? Do you just throw a few "thank you's" at the end of your prayer? Or do you take time to ponder Who God is and the mighty things God does for you? Do you offer your thanksgiving in a humble, purposeful, honoring way? In other words, do you take you gift of thanksgiving and stick it in a WalMart sack, or do you give it in a beautifully wrapped box that sparkles with love?

Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High.

Psalm 50:14

Tools of the Trade

     As parents, we had several main responsibilities: to protect, to discipline, and to guide. At times these responsibilities were not easy to do. Our Heavenly Father does the same for us. He protects and disciplines us with His Word and He guides us with His Holy Spirit. Have you ever experienced following a scriptural principle and having it keep you out of a mess? Or maybe you are like me and you learn it from another approach; have you NOT followed scripture and ended up in a real mess? Have you then heard or read scripture that convicted you because you weren’t being obedient? The guiding of the Holy Spirit in my life is one thing I cannot imagine not having as I try and grow spiritually. Though at times they bring out many feelings in me, I find great comfort in God’s protection, His discipline, and the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
     A shepherd had two necessary pieces of equipment. He had a rod and a staff. A rod was carved out of wood. It was like a stick with a ball on the end. Young shepherd boys would practice for years to be efficient at throwing their rod; they even had competitions on rod throwing. The rod is the tool that was used to keep predators from the sheep when the shepherd couldn’t move fast enough. He would see a predator approaching his flock and throw the rod at him and hit him with this ball of wood and the predator was either dead or it would scurry away. At times, the shepherd would use the rod to discipline his own sheep when they would fight. In my lingo, it is the shepherd’s belt that he uses to spank his sheep! Spiritually the rod is a symbol of God’s Word. It is the Word of God that protects me and disciplines me.
     We all know what the staff looks like. A staff is used only by a shepherd. You do not see any other profession using a staff. It is simply a long hook. The shepherd uses it to guide his sheep along the chosen path. He uses it to bring lambs back to their mothers. He even uses it to sweep up lambs out of the water, or to keep a sheep from going over a cliff or off in their own direction. It is what keeps his flock together. Spiritually the staff is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, guiding us as we live the Christian life.
     I have seen the Great Shepherd use the rod and staff in my life more times than He probably wishes. His rod has protected me from harm and it has hit me upside the head a few times. He has used his staff to guide me and pull me back in. I love the care He gives me with His rod and His staff. I trust them totally and it comforts me to know that He is looking out for my best. I would not want to go a day without them.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even 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.

Psalm 23:1-4

Information taken from the book A shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller

Got to Go Through the Valley

     We are finally to the part in Psalm 23 that makes it very popular for funerals. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of death, I will not fear.” Though death could be a part of our valley experience, it includes so much more.
     A shepherd moves their sheep to different fields by seasons of the year. In winter, they are home with the shepherd. In the spring they work their way through the valleys to get to the high ground. Summer is spent feasting on the mountain tops, and as the snow begins to fall, with autumn comes the journey home.
    The spring journey, through the valley can be a long trip. The sheep move along slowly, feeding as they go, gradually working their way up the mountains behind the receding snow. Though the valley provides lush foliage and great springs and rivers, it presents many dangers as well. Rampaging rivers in the spring thaw, avalanches, rock slides, poisonous plants, predators that raid the flock are many of the dangers. Since the valley is between highlands, they are often dark or dim by the cliffs and the predators stock the sheep from these cliffs. Another danger is spring snow storms. And yet, though these valleys are filled with dangers, the sheep are calm. Their needs are being met abundantly and they are with their shepherd day and night. What do they have to fear?
     In the Christian walk, we tend to want to live on the mountain top. We want to get beyond the shallow relationship with the Lord and move into a more intimate walk with God. Every mountain has its valleys and we must walk through them to get to the mountain top. Sooner or later we discover that it is in the valleys of our lives that we find refreshment from God Himself. It is not until we have walked with Him through some very deep troubles that we discover He can lead us to find refreshment in Him right there in the midst of our difficulty. Let us not fear dark and distressing (valley of the shadow of death) days of our life because we are close to the shepherd during those days.
     The basic question is not whether we have many or few valleys. It is not whether those valleys are dark or merely dim with shadows. The question is how do I react to them? How do I go through them? How do I cope with the trials that come my way?
     With Christ I can face them calmly. With my Shepherd leading me, I can face them fearlessly!

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures,
      he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness
      for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,
      for you are with me;

Proverbs 23:1-3

Information taken from the book A shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller

Where Are You Walking?

     Have you ever found yourself in a rut? Just doing the same thing over and over, no matter how destructive it is to you or your circumstances!
     Sheep are notorious creatures of habit. Sheep will walk the same path over and over until they create huge ruts and they will continue walking in their own manure and urine. Soon, it becomes detrimental to their health as they deal with the bacteria and disease that grows in the ruts. Sheep will graze in the same hills until they graze it to the bare ground and turn it into a desert waste.
     Sheep will pollute their own drinking water until it becomes corrupt with disease and parasites. This is why a shepherd cannot leave his flock to lead themselves. They will lead themselves to destruction. One of the greatest responsibilities of a shepherd is to keep their flock moving. He plans out a grazing pattern for the year to assure that his sheep get the greatest fields but do not destroy them. Then he constantly watches his flock and the land to make sure his plan is working. A good shepherd is going to lead his sheep on paths that are green, water that is pure, and provides for their needs. Sheep may not move to new ground themselves, but when their shepherd leads them to new pastures they are delighted with their fresh feeding ground.
     Scripture points out that most of us are stiff-necked and stubborn. We prefer to follow our own fancies and turn to our own ways. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own ways” (Isaiah 53:6). Just as sheep will blindly, habitually, stupidly follow another along the same trails until they become ruts that erode into gigantic gullies, so we humans cling to the same habits that we have seen in other lives. Turning to ‘my own way’ simply means doing what I want. It implies that I feel free to assert my own wishes and carry out my own disease. And this I do in spite of every warning. Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way which seems right to a man but the end thereof are the ways of death.
     Jesus told us that following Him means denying ourselves daily. Now most Christians would say that they follow Christ. However, not so many follow Christ to new grounds by denying what they want. Look at the following attitude check list to see if your attitude and actions allow you to be led to the path of righteousness.

1> Instead of loving myself most I am willing to love Christ most and others more than myself.
2> Instead of being one of the crowd I am willing to be singled out, set apart from the gang.
3> Instead of insisting on my rights I am willing to forego them in favor of others.
4> Instead of being “boss” I am willing to be at the bottom of the heap.
5> Instead of finding fault with life and always asking “why?” I am willing to accept every circumstance of life in an attitude of gratitude.
6> Instead of exercising and asserting my will, I learn to cooperate with His wishes and comply with His will.
7> Instead of choosing my own way I am willing to choose Christ’s way: simply to do what He asks me to do.

     When your Good Shepherd leads you, you have two choices. You ‘can go on’ with Him or you ‘can go back’ from Him. What is your choice!

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still water. He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

Proverbs 23:1-3

Information taken from the book A shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller

What Do You Do When You Fall?

    One of the most untrue beliefs that many Christians cling too is that bad things should not happen to good, faithful Christians. Nothing is further from the truth. We will experience the consequences and results of a sinful world. We still experience the death of loved ones. We still experience struggles in relationships. We still experience the hurt from other’s choices. We still experience the failures of our flesh. We still experience disease and sickness from a destructive world. We are never promised we will not endure trials, but we are promised peace, strength, and comfort through Jesus. There are times we will be like David and cry out to the Lord with a hurting heart. We will have times when we will fall and need to be restored by our Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.
     When David proclaims in Psalm 23 that “He restores my soul”, he is referring to how a shepherd restores a sheep after they have been cast down. A ‘cast down’ sheep is one that has ended up on its back with their feet in the air, frantically trying to get up on its feet. This is a very frightening situation for the sheep. Not only are they in danger from predators who know they are easy prey, but its body is in danger of dying because as it lies there struggling, gases begin to build up in the rum en to the extremities of the body, especially the legs. A sheep cannot stay on its back for long. If it is hot, they can survive for only three hours; if it is cooler or rainy they may survive three days; but the clock is ticking. This is why a shepherd has to stay alert to his flock. They must continue to count them to make sure they are all accounted for. This is why we are told about the shepherd that leaves the 99 to go look for the one; he knows he has a cast down sheep somewhere. As the shepherd searches for their sheep, his anxiety increases because he hears the ticking in his mind. When he finds his sheep, relief flushes over his body. Now at this point, if he acted like I did when I found one of my missing children, he would turn that relief into rage as he would discipline them for their actions and for scaring their shepherd. Honorably, a good shepherd is more caring and compassionate. He understands that his sheep is scared.  He understands that the restoration process takes time. He cannot just pick up the sheep and put them on their feet. He has to rub their feet and legs to help restart their circulation. He has to hold them when they stand because they tend to be wobbly and have unsure footing. The shepherd uses encouraging words to provide comfort and discipline. He might say things such as, “When are you going to learn to stand on your own feet?”, “I’m glad I found you in time, you scared me, please don’t do this again!”
     After he restores the sheep, he then analyzes why his sheep was cast down. For some sheep, it is not a common problem. They were just resting on their side in a soft spot; they stretched or shifted their weight and accidentally rolled over on their back. However, many times it is due to one of three problems. One problem that causes a sheep to be cast down is that they tend to always look for the most soft spots. The spots that have a hollow, rounded indention in the ground.  A soft spot makes it easy for the sheep to roll over on its back. To correct this problem, the shepherd will move these sheep to another pasture where there aren’t so many ‘soft’ spots. Another problem that can cause a sheep to be cast down is that it has too much wool. Often when the fleece becomes too long, it becomes heavy with mud, manure, burs, and debris. It can become very heavy and cause the sheep to lie down and then pull them over on their backs. This solution is simple; the shepherd will sheer his sheep. The last reason why a sheep can be cast down is because they are simply fat. Their weight simply keeps them from being nimble and agile on their feet and before they know it, they are on their backs. When this happens, the shepherd will put his sheep on a diet and watch over them closely.
     When you are cast down, know that your Good Shepherd seeks you with the desire to restore your soul.  Don’t be afraid of his reprimand! He will lovingly and compassionately nurture you back onto your feet; holding you up until your footing is sure. Life in this sinful world will cause you to be cast down at times. However, it is important that you understand that if you continue to be cast down, your Good Shepherd is going to help elevate the problem. Some Christians strive for the easy, comfortable, cozy life; a life of no hardship, no need for endurance, no demand upon self-discipline. Sometimes the shepherd will move you to a different pasture where things aren’t quite so comfortable. Some Christians refuse to let go of their desires, their hopes, and their aspirations. In scripture, wool depicts the old self-life. No priest was ever allowed to wear wool when he entered the Holy of Holies.
     No matter what your reason; when you find yourself flat on your back in a fallen position, know that your Good Shepherd is there to restore you! He will not leave you helpless! He will not forsake you!

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me besides still water. He restores my soul.

Psalm 23:1-3

Information taken from the book A shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller

What Are You Drinking?

     As we continue with Psalm 23, we see that the Good Shepherd leads His sheep to still waters. We see several things from this one statement. First, we see that like with protection from fear, it is the shepherd that leads his sheep to water. It is his duty to make sure his sheep has their need for water met. A sheep can become physically ill without water. Then they become weak and restless and will frantically search for water. However, a good shepherd always makes sure that a good, clean, pure water source is available to his sheep.
     The second thing we see is that the water is still. Have you ever tried to stand in a roaring river or rushing stream? It is difficult at best. Many adults and children have drowned in raging water they had no control in. Sheep have this problem as well. They become buoyant in water long enough to float away in any kind of moving water but will eventually drown. A shepherd always makes sure his sheep are drinking from shallow, still water.
     Lastly, we want to look at the water itself. A shepherd has three ways to provide water for his sheep. One is springs or streams. This is a great means of refreshment to the sheep but not always available. The other source is deep wells. However, to provide water from a well to your flock, takes a lot of hard work from the shepherd as he bails water in the heat of the day.
     The last way a shepherd provides water to their sheep is the most common. If the sheep will rise early and start to feed on the green foliage, they will get enough water for the day from the dew on the grass. They can survive for three months without water from the streams or wells. The shepherd arises early and leads his sheep to their field of nourishment.
     Though a shepherd leads his sheep to clean, pure, fresh water, often stubborn sheep will be determined to drink from dirty pools of infected water. This water can have urine, manure, and bacteria in it. Why would they drink from this when they have fresh water provided to them by their shepherd? They are stubborn, willful, stupid animals!
     Jesus, our Good Shepherd, leads us to still water each day. We have spiritual souls that need water. When we do not let our shepherd provide daily water to us, we will look to substitutes to refresh and satisfy our souls. Many will try knowledge, culture, travel, sports, social activities, hobbies, community effort, etc. But when all has been tried, they find themselves facing the same haunting, hollow, empty, unfilled thirst within. Only Jesus can truly satisfy. He leads us every day to a point of refreshment in our souls. Yet, so many 'human sheep' drink from dirty, dangerous, destructive pools of the world. 
     I have fought for my entire spiritual life that my time with God did not have to be in the morning. It is true that our time with God should not just be in the morning but for the entire day. However, scripture keeps showing us that there is something about time with God first thing in the morning. The majority of the sheep’s thirst was quenched with the morning dew. Scripture tells us that God’s mercy is new everyday; just like the dew! Testimonies of great men and women of God repeatedly point out that the secret of the success in their spiritual life was attributed to the ‘quiet time’ of each morning.
     At a feast in Jerusalem Jesus states boldly, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.” In spiritual terminology, “to drink” simply means ‘take in’. We are to ‘take in’ Jesus to the point He consumes us.
     Are you drinking from the still, clean waters that Jesus alone provides? Are you drinking from the perverted water of the world? Do you ‘take in’ Jesus?

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside still water.

Psalm 23:1-2

Information taken from the book A shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller

What Do You Hunger For?

     One thing, we usually do not know in this country, is hunger. I have an abundance of food and it wouldn’t hurt me to experience hunger more frequently than the occasional 12 hour fast for blood work or surgery. I do not believe I have ever hungered due to the lack of food; I have never been ravished.
     The fourth and last reason a sheep will not lie down is hunger. They must be free from hunger to rest. If they are hungry, they will pace around looking for anything to satisfy their gnawing hunger. Their hunger drives them to a state of discontentment and dissatisfaction.
     It sounds like a normal procedure for a shepherd to provide green pastures for their sheep. However, it is anything but easy. Most regions that are known for sheep herding are semi-arid. They are dry and barren. A shepherd has to know how to cultivate the ground to provide the best fields for their sheep. They have to remove rocks, pull up dead roots, cultivate and irrigate the land, plant grains, and care for the forage. Lambs need rich milk to grow and nursing ewes need green grass for milk production. Without green grass, the flock will be weak, thin, and unhealthy.
     In the Old Testament we see how God provided the promise land. When this land is referred to as the “land flowing with milk and honey” it has an agricultural meaning. “Milk flow” and “honey flow” refers to the peak season of spring and summer when pastures are at their most productive stages. The livestock and bees that feast on these pastures are said to be producing a “flow” of milk and honey. So when we see this term “land flowing with milk and honey”, we know these pastures are the best of the best: rich, green and luxurious.
     For Christians the promise land is a picture of us moving from a life of sin into the life of victory. This life is provided to us from the unrelenting effort of Jesus Christ. “He clears the rocks of stony unbelief. He tries to tear out the roots of bitterness. He attempts to break up the hard, proud human heart that is set like sun-dried clay. He then sows the seed of His own precious Word, which, if given half a chance to grow will produce rich crops of contentment and peace. He waters this with the dews and rain of His own presence by the Holy Spirit. He tends and cares and cultivates the life, longing to see it become rich and green and productive.”
     Jesus, our Good Shepherd does this for us. He gives us green fields to find rest. However, because of our own perverseness, we often prefer to feed on the barren ground of the world around us. It comes down to a choice! Are you going to find rest and plenty in the green pastures that Jesus has provided for you or are you going to graze in the unsatisfying fields of the world.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures . . .

Psalm 23:1-2a

Information taken from the book A shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller

What Bugs You?

     We have two adorable dachshunds and we take care of Brittne’s miniature sheltie. We love our dogs very much but summers drive us crazy. Living in the country, it seems we can’t control the fleas. One of our dachshunds is allergic to fleas and her skin turns bright red where her hair is thin. The fact that their bellies almost touch the ground when they walk probably doesn’t help. The shelties coat is so thick fleas love to hide in his coat. It is hard to see them uncomfortable and scratching all the time when the fleas are winning the battle.
     Sheep have the same problem. They are acceptable to several kinds of flies and ticks which can torment them. Imagine how thick a sheep’s wool is: ticks would love it. There is no way for sheep to rest or lie down with these distractions and irritations. They constantly shake, move, or hide from the parasites.
     A good shepherd watches over his flock daily and at the first sign of parasites, he takes action. He uses oils and chemicals to rid these from his sheep. He moves them to bushy areas where the flies don’t follow. He does not allow his sheep to become stressed, irritated, or pure crazy with torment from parasites. He removes the problem and gives them rest.
     Life brings us many irritations. It is difficult to go to work every day and not have someone or something irritate you; and usually it is the same person or the same situation. I do not often respond Christ like. I seem to handle a crisis better than I handle an irritation! However, if the irritations are getting the best of us then we are not allowing the Holy Spirit to handle the situation or handle us.
     The Holy Spirit brings me to the presence of Jesus, my Good Shepherd. He brings quietness, calmness, serenity, and strength in the midst of irritation and frustration. When we take everything that bugs us to Jesus and focus on His presence, our response will change. We need to acknowledge that our situation is beyond our control, that we are totally irritated and frustrated, that we are bugged to no end, and we can’t cope or rest. We need to give Him control! Then His Spirit will wash over us His peace and calmness and before we know it, His soothing presence brings us to a place of quiet contentment. I am then able to lie down in a peaceful rest because He is in control of my parasites and of me.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures...

Psalm 23:1-2a

Information taken from the book A shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller

Are You Content?

     Do you care what people think? Do you try to stay up with the Jones? Do you push your children to be the best so you can be proud? Do you constantly feel you need to stand up for yourself to make sure nobody mistreats you? Do you strive to be the best at everything you do? Do you want the top spot in all you do?
     I wish I could answer ‘no’ to every one of those questions but shamefully I can’t. If I do not keep myself in check, I will fall into finding my identity through others or my job. When I do, I become stressed, discontent, worrisome, and even prideful.
     Sheep are just like us! They have a system of hierarchy within the flock. They obtain dominance by butting. There is usually an old, mean, arrogant, cunning, and domineering ewe that rules the flock and she achieved that spot by constantly butting other ewes and lambs. They can be resting or feeding in a quiet place and she will come over and knock them off their feet by butting them. She insists on the best eating spot and the best resting spot. It is not just her! They all do it and there is a totem pole of dominance.
     Because of this rivalry, tension, and competition for status and self-assertion, there is friction in the flock. The sheep become edgy, tense, discontent, and restless. They begin to show signs through their health by not getting enough rest and losing weight. They have to remain on guard all the time; they cannot lie down and rest in contentment. They must always stand up and defend their rights and contest the challenge of another.
     Once again there is only one thing that stops these foolish rivalries and fighting among the flock and that is the presence of the shepherd. When a shepherd comes into their view, it all stops! All of the games end. They understand that he is in control and that is all that matters. The shepherd will also discipline the butting sheep if they have hurt another sheep or was dominate with another’s lambs. It is not the dominate sheep that the shepherd is pleased with; it is usually the less aggressive sheep. The bottom rung sheep find favor because they are more content, quiet, restful, and humble.
     How many times have you experienced this kind of behavior among the human flock. Regrettably, I have seen this behavior in church after church. It destroys others, destroys the witness of the church, and sometimes destroys the church totally. The only way to alleviate this kind of foolish, selfish snobbery, and rivalry is for the flock to stay focused on Jesus.
    It is a humble heart walking quietly and contentedly in the intimate companionship of Jesus that we can rest, relax, simply be glad to lie down and let the world go by. Are you resting?

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.

Psalm 23:1-2a

Information taken from the book A shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller

Freedom from Fear

     For the next few days we are going to take a deeper look into the requirements of the shepherd to provide rest for his flock. The first one on the list was ‘freedom from fear’! I do not believe we have ever lived in such fearful times. We fear losing our jobs, losing our house, not having money to pay the bills, not advancing in our careers, not achieving success, getting cancer or one of the other plethora of illnesses, divorce, unfaithful spouses, decisions of our children, war, bombs, financial ruins, poverty, identity thief, road rage, natural disasters, public shootings, food tampering, death of loved ones, etc. Finding any kind of freedom from fear is an almost impossible feat . . . unless you have Jesus.
     The smallest thing, such as a jackrabbit can cause panic and fear in a flock. The fear spreads and grows until you have a total disturbance within the flock. There is only one thing that will calm a crazed flock; the presence of their shepherd! This is one reason why a shepherd sleeps in the field with his sheep. His presence frees them from fear from their predators.
     As Christians we are the same as sheep. There is nothing like the presence of Jesus to dispel the fear of the unknown, the panic over the present situation, or the terror of the unexpected. We have all experienced watching a child work their way into a good fit when their parent was not present; but then their parent walks into their presence and the tears and the fit instantly stops!
     Whatever is bringing fear to you today can be gone when you stop, see, and feel the presence of Jesus. When we are aware of His presence, everything changes. We stop being terrified. Our outlook changes and there is hope. He gives us rest, relaxation, and a sound mind. A sound mind is a mind at ease, at peace, not perturbed or harassed or obsessed with fear. This is all possible because we recognize and acknowledge that God is sovereign over all things.  Nothing has power over God!  We trust God for His outcome and accept His peace.
     We live either in a sense of anxiety, fear and foreboding or in a sense of quite rest. Which are you going to choice?

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.

2 Timothy 1:7

Information taken from the book A shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller

He Gives Me Rest

     Does life sometimes bring so much anxiety and stress that all you want to do is to rest; to take a break from it? Yet, the more you try the more impossible it seems! It is at those times that we will never find rest unless we find rest in Jesus. He is the only way to have peace away from fear and worry; calmness within chaos!
     The next phrase in Psalm 23 is, ‘He causes me to lie down in green pastures’. Sheep are not calm creatures. They are easily frightened and stressed. The slightest movement in the flock causes panic to break out in the flock. It is not easy to get a sheep to a level of such peace and trust that they lie down. In fact, it is almost impossible for them to be made to lie down unless four requirements are met.

1) The must be free of all fear
2) Due to their social nature, they must be free from friction with others of their kind.
3) They must be free from flies and parasites.
4) They must be free from hunger.

     Rest is important to the health of the flock. Yet, they must be free from fear, tension, aggravations, and hunger in order to rest. The key element to these requirements is that only the shepherd can provide them: the sheep cannot create an atmosphere of rest on their own.
     We are no different! Jesus is the only way to find rest because only He can free us from fear, tension, aggravations. We cannot find true rest on our own. So . . . why do we try? Is fear controlling you? Do you have tension with others? Do you have parasites in your life that are driving you crazy? Do you have an unsatisfied hunger? Then you aren’t letting Jesus give you rest. Trust Him and let Him make you lie down and rest!

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.

Psalm 23:1-2a

Information taken from the book A shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller

I Shall Not Want

     What do you want? In our culture, we are taught to always want more. We are taught to strive for something bigger and better. We have goals, dreams, wants list, secret desires, and even a bucket list. We live in a world that teaches us to be discontent and many Christians have followed the teachings of the world.
     In a time that David was on the run for his life from Saul, he made the statement, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want”. It is a profound statement that declares no matter what hardship, poverty, or anguish of spirit he might endure; he was satisfied with his Owner’s management of his life and he was content with the Good Shepherd’s care and consequently did not crave or desire anything more. Stating that we shall not want is not about wealth and prosperity; we see many great people of God walk through hardships and trials, not just in Biblical times but also in current times. It is about being content spiritually with the care we get from our Master; it is being content in our spirit. Phillip Keller states in his book, “No matter what strata of society someone is in, it is the boss—the manager—the master in people’s lives who make the difference in their destiny. I have known some of the wealthiest people on this continent intimately—also some of the leading scientist and professional people. Despite their dazzling outward show of success, despite their affluence and their prestige, they remained poor in spirit, shriveled in soul, and unhappy in life. They were joyless people held in the iron grip and heartless ownership of the wrong master. By contrast, I have numerous friends among relatively poor people—people who have known hardship, disaster and they struggle to stay afloat financially, but because they belong to Christ and have recognized Him as Lord and Master of their lives, their Owner and Manager, they are permeated by a deep, quiet, settled peace that is beautiful to behold.”
     Jesus says it is impossible to serve two Masters. Are we so content with His care, His management that we do not want to ever cross back over to the field of Satan? Phillip Keller shares a story about one of his prized sheep. She was beautiful and almost perfect. She bore sturdy lambs that matured rapidly. She had an excellent coat of wool. He loved her. She had beautiful green pastures to eat from and he took great care of her. She had everything she needed. However, she was a fence crawler. She was always looking for a way out of safety to the other side which was barren and dangerous. He called her, Mrs. Gad-about. She was more trouble that the entire flock. He spent a tremendous amount of time retrieving her and fixing her escape routes. If that wasn’t bad enough, she started teaching her children and the other sheep in the flock and they soon started following her on her path of danger. Finally, he had to choose the safety of the flock over her and he killed his prized and loved sheep, all because she was never satisfied. The grass was always greener on the other side, even though in reality it offered her nothing.
     Are you content like Paul, or are you still attracted to Satan’s fields like Mrs. Gad-about? Are you a fence crawler? As a Christian, are you still attracted to the pleasures of sin? Do you want to rest and sleep in the Good Shepherd’s field but play in a field of sin such as adultery, pornography, materialism, bitterness, addiction, an uncontrolled tongue, lack of discipline, self-centeredness and self-satisfaction, etc. Each time we cross over to Satan’s field we are saying that we are not satisfied with the care from Jesus’ field. We cannot serve two masters and we can’t sleep in one field and play in another. What field are you going to choose? I want to stay in the Good Shepherd’s care. I want to stay away from the fence and in His field continually! I want to proudly and boldly proclaim that ‘The Lord is My Shepherd and I shall not want!’
Which side of the fence are you choosing?

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.

Psalm 23:1

Information taken from the book A shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller

The Lord Is My Shepherd

     Over twenty years ago, I did a study that has laid a good foundation for my Christian walk. It was the study of Psalm 23. I feel the need to review this passage and so I am going to take you with me! I get very frustrated when I attend funeral after funeral and hear this passage. It has become the ‘funeral passage’ because of the lack of understanding about this passage. I studied this passage from a book which I encourage you to read: A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23. Ofter,for us to really understand something, we need to be taught by someone who has done it. Phillip Keller, author of the book, was a shepherd, so he can give us insight into the role of shepherd.
     The first words are ‘The Lord Is My Shepherd’. This is stated as a proud, positive, bold statement by David. He was known as the “Shepherd King” of Israel and yet he proclaims that the “Lord (Jehovah, the Lord God of Israel) is his shepherd. Jesus confirm this when He declares that He is the Good Shepherd.
     There are two kinds of shepherds: those whose sheep struggle, starve and suffer endless hardships and those whose sheep flourish and thrive contentedly. Jesus is the good Shepherd. His sheep have the best care. We will learn that it is no accident that we are referred to as sheep. The behavior of humans and sheep are very similar. Our responses, fears, timidly, stubbornness stupidity, and perverse habits all have parallels of profound importance.
     He earned the right to be our Shepherd three times. First, He created us. Two, He died for us. Three, He is continually interceding for us, He is ever guiding us by His gracious Spirit, and He is ever working on our behalf to ensure that we will benefit from His care. For these reasons, we are obligated to recognize His ownership of us.
     Do you proudly, verbally, proclaim that Jesus Christ is your Shepherd, your owner, your manager? Do you do so by your behavior and actions?

The Lord is my Shepherd

Psalm 23:1

Information taken from the book A shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller

He's Never Failed Me Yet!

     When Dwayne and I were attending First Baptist Church in Broken Arrow, before we went to seminary, we were in the choir. We sung many songs but I actually only remember one. However, it is one song that has been played through my mind more times than any other song. For the last 20 years, when fear and doubt hits my panicked heart, God whispers the words from this song to me. The words are, “He’s never failed me yet”. When I was stressed over money, I would hear, “He’s never failed me yet”. When I was petrified to move my children to the ‘not so safe' area of Fort Worth, I would hear, “He’s never failed me yet”. When I was scared to move 1500 miles to Montana without having a place to live, I would hear, “He’s never failed me yet”. When I was worried about leaving Montana and being as close to a new church, I would hear, “He’s never failed me yet”. When we were called to start a new church with no guarantee of a salary and many of the ones we cared for were upset with us, I would hear, “He’s never failed me yet”. When my daughter called from Peru overwhelmed with losing her apartment and her comfort away from home due to an explosion, the words I told her were, “He’s never failed you yet”. And today, when Dwayne did not win his election yesterday and my heart is full of emotions such as disappointment, I hear Him whisper to my heart, "I have never failed you yet!" 
     I will tell you the same thing. No matter what you are going through, stressed over, petrified of, scared about, worried about, or overwhelmed with, He has never failed you yet and never will!

Below are the additional words to the song, do you believe them? Does your action show it?
I will sing of God’s mercy
Every day, every hour, he gives me power.
I will sing and give thanks to thee,
For all the dangers, toils and snares that he has brought me out.
He is my God and I will serve Him,
No matter what the test.
Trust and never doubt,
Jesus will surely bring you out.
He’s never failed me yet!

Total Trust

     In the last few days, Dwayne and I keep getting asked two questions in regards to the election, “Are you nervous?” and “Are you going to be able to sleep?” The answers are ‘no we are not nervous’ and ‘yes we will sleep fine’! I can vouch for the fact that we both slept great last night. We are anxious to see what God has in mind but we are not nervous; we are not worried.
     I have learned many things through this process. One of the greatest things I have learned about myself is that I am not as obedient to God publically as I am privately unless I am confident of the outcome. When Dwayne felt God telling him to run, I once again wasn’t too happy to hear it. I couldn’t argue because I could see how God was stirring him but his odds of winning were not very good. This was before the wave of political frustration swept our country and he was running against an incumbent in a non presidential year. Someone gave him a one in ten shot of winning. I wanted to say, “don’t do it if you can’t win!”  To lose is hard enough for me but to do it publically is horrifying to me.
     Well, it is two years later and I have grown from watching the faithfulness of my husband. He has faithfully walked door to door in the rural areas, he has met thousands of people, and he has received the blessing of ministering to many and praying with several hurting people. He never quit being faithful to what God called him to do.
    Tonight we have the last campaign event: our watch party. I must admit, I think this will be a fun time if Dwayne wins.  However, I haven’t conquered my weakness totally because if we lose, I would like to do it at home privately!   Either way, tonight we will celebrate the completion of Dwayne’s God given task. He did not call him to win, He called him to run. Dwayne was faithful and has completed his orders. When the votes are in, we will see if Dwayne has an additional set of orders!
     What about you? Are you so afraid of failing that you are not faithful to what God is telling you to do? We never know how things will turn out but we are either faithful to follow God or we are not. If we say we trust God, then we need to trust him for the directions, the path He takes us on, and the destination He takes us to. Trusting Him for one and not the other isn’t really trusting. Are you going to totally trust Him?

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.

Proverbs 3:5-6

November Is Here!

    November is here! I love November but this November will be life changing for me. First, I find out tomorrow if I am going to not only be the wife of a pastor, but be a wife of a state representative. Either way, I get my husband back on the weekends and I am very excited for that. I turn fifty in three weeks and I also become a grandmother for the first time. I have a special family member coming for Thanksgiving and one of my most special friends is getting married and Dwayne is conducting the wedding. Also, I have Brittne home for the holidays for the first time in two years.
     Now, all but the election will happen in the same week. Though it is all very exciting, it could be very stressful. Will Dwayne win the election? Will my grandbaby be born during my friend’s wedding? Am I really turning 50? Have I really lived 2/3 of my life? How will we work around a birth of a baby with Thanksgiving? How will I have a guest and maybe be running to Texas to see my new granddaughter?
     I am so glad that I live my life letting God figure out how to orchestrate it all together! If I didn’t, I would drive myself crazy. He knows the exact moment my granddaughter will be born. He knows if Dwayne is supposed to be a state representative or not. He knows how many days I have left in my life and maybe I won’t even see 50. He knows what will happen during the wedding that is happening the day before the baby’s due date. Also, he knows how we will juggle it all with the visit of a loved one.
     Saying we trust God, means trusting Him for all of it and not falling into the worry state of mind. We need to constantly rest in Him and let go of our worry. You can not worry and trust at the same time. Which one are you doing?

Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concern. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Philippians 4:6-7