Psalm 23: He Restoreth MY Soul

It becomes so easy to believe that because we are under OUR Shepherd's care, all our problems are over.

Not so. 

However, since we are under the Shepherd's care, when we become "cast down" as a sheep does, lying helpless, kicking and struggling, OUR Shepherd will be there to lift us up.

Only when we understand the dilemma of a "cast sheep", can we begin to understand OUR Shepherd's compassion.

My prayer today is, "Lord, when find my wool so long, so matted with cares and entanglements of this world, please bathe me, shear me, save me, prevent me from being cast down with daily cares. . .RESTORE MY SOUL".

Reference: A Shepherd looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller

My Daily Morning Devotion: My Utmost for His Highest

Psalm 23: He Leadeth Me

If I will allow it, MY Shepherd will lead me beside the still waters, He will allow me to drink my fill of the good stuff, crystal clear, icy cold, delicious refreshing water.

Of course as a Christian, I must realize this means drinking of God's Word, filling my thoughts with things of Him, and allowing him to guide my every footstep.

My daily morning devotion, My Utmost for His Highest, states it perfectly today.

When I am stubborn, and, choose to go my own way, I ultimately find myself drinking out of the roadside ditches, and the disease laden mud puddles of the world.

When I follow in MY Shepherds footsteps, and stay within the reach of His arms, my life is enriched by drinking from the still waters He leads me to.

Only the Shepherd knows the eddies and currents beneath the still surface.  He knows exactly how far I can wade out, and as long as I stay within His protection, I will be satisfied.

Just as MY Shepherd knows the dangers lying beneath the still surface, He also know the hidden eddies and currents swirling beneath the surface of my life.  When I lie down, and listen to His still, small voice, He is able to lead me around the danger zones, and into the fullness, and peacefulness of being His child.

My prayer today is that we will not be swept away in the currents of today's pleasures, but that I will keep my eyes on MY Shepherd as He leads me beside the still waters.

Reference :  A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller

Psalm 23: I shall not Want

It sounds so enticing at first glance.  The Lord is MY Shepherd, I shall NOT Want.

Wow, that must mean that God is just my big old Sugar Daddy, and he's gonna give me everything I ever wanted in life.  After all, he does say He will give me the desires of my heart, right?

But I think there must be more to it than that.  I know, several times in the scripture, God says, "If you will, I will."  What could that possibly mean?

 Do you think that God must have expectations of us?

What are His expectations?  When God says in Jeremiah 29:11, "I know the plans I have for you", do you truly believe it?  Do you search out what His plans are with an open heart, or do you just wander around in your day to day life, waiting for God's blessings to just pour out upon you, with no effort on your part.

You must STUDY His Word.  I'm not talking about reading the Bible each day, and saying, Oh, I've done my duty for the day.  I'm talking about truly STUDYING the Word of God, cross referencing scripture, reading commentary when a particular phrase has meaning.  If YOU will. . .GOD will. . .that is a promise.  He WILL speak to you personally. . .and then you will understand the meaning of "I shall not Want".

My understanding of "I shall not Want", came at two different times in my life.

The first was when, at the age of 23, we lost our twenty month old son in a tragic incident, and I lay across my bed screaming, "Where were you God"?   It seemed as though life would never be worth living again, but guess what?  Life goes on.  None of us will ever be immune to the tragedies of life, but somehow, through our tragedies, God gives us the strength to survive, and to become stronger.

The second understanding came, at the age of 32, when I read a series of books by Frank Peretti entitled, This Present Darkness.  Only then, having been raised on a church pew, did I truly begin to understand the awesome power of God.  A light bulb literally went off, and I began to seek God.

This began my journey of becoming a "prayer warrior", a journey I am still on to this day.  This journey led me to read, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller, as I began preparing a series of lessons for Children's Prayer Class.

Psalm 23

And I truly knew the meaning of "I shall not want", when I read a magazine article describing a young woman who was searching for something, something to fill the hole in her life, a void she could not even explain.  She just knew the hole was there, and that with all of her accomplishments, there was still this huge hole, UNTIL, she discovered prayer.

And that is when I knew.  I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt, the true meaning of, "I shall NOT want".  Having the assurance that God is there, no matter the circumstances, just knowing that God is absolutely in control, gives me a measure of confidence to know, the Lord is MY Shepherd, I shall NOT want.

My prayer today is that each person I come in contact with will want to know who my Shepherd is.

My Daily Morning Devotion: My Utmost for His Highest








The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident. (Psalm 27: 1, 3)

When is the Lord Your Shepherd?

Following up on yesterday's thought, my question today is, WHEN is the Lord MY Shepherd?

I find it so easy to say, "Oh yes Lord, YOU are MY Shepherd.", but as I begin reading

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23
by W. Phillip Keller 

I must begin to honestly question myself.

When is the Lord MY Shepherd?  If I am truly a sheep, and He is my Shepherd, do I truly love to be in His Presence, as the sheep love to be in the Shepherd's Presence, or do I linger at just the outside periphery of the flock?  Do I linger just close enough to feel the Shepherd's Presence, and to stay within the Shepherd's protection, or do I press in close to MY Shepherd?  Close enough to be within the reach of MY Shepherd's arms?

I read this book several years ago as I prepared a series of lessons for Kid's Prayer Class, but now I find myself studying these same pages with a different mind set.

My prayer today is, "Lord, let me be so close to you, that I can lead others into the Presence of the Shepherd.  Don't let me get so busy with my daily life, that when I look up, I find myself on the outer edges of the flock, and then I must work to get myself back into your arms."

MY DAILY MORNING DEVOTION: My Utmost for His Highest