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