God as Our Shepherd: Peace in Every Valley
Summary
Psalm 23 is a profound reminder of God's role as our shepherd, guiding, protecting, and providing for us. In times of loss and uncertainty, it's crucial to remember that God is our shepherd, leading us through life's valleys and into His peace. The psalm begins with the declaration, "The Lord is my shepherd," emphasizing a personal relationship with God. This relationship is not just about provision but about trust and surrender. When we truly understand that God is our shepherd, we find contentment and peace, even amidst life's challenges.
The imagery of green pastures and still waters illustrates God's provision and peace. He leads us to places of rest and nourishment, restoring our souls. This restoration is not just physical but deeply spiritual, providing peace and joy even in turmoil. God's guidance leads us in paths of righteousness, transforming our character to reflect Christ's love and generosity. This transformation often occurs without changing our circumstances, highlighting God's ability to work within us regardless of external situations.
Even in the darkest valleys, God is with us. His presence dispels fear, and His rod and staff provide protection and guidance. Life's journey often feels like walking through the valley of the shadow of death, but God never abandons us. He leads us through darkness, ensuring we are never alone. This assurance allows us to face evil without fear, knowing God's strength and protection are greater than any adversary.
God's provision extends beyond mere survival. He prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies, symbolizing abundance and grace amidst adversity. This lavish feast of God's presence is available even in trials, offering joy and peace that surpass understanding. Our role is to rest in God's presence, trusting Him to provide and protect.
Ultimately, God's goodness and mercy pursue us throughout our lives, culminating in eternal dwelling with Him. This pursuit is relentless, driven by His covenantal love. Our response is to rest in Him, allowing His presence to transform and sustain us. In this life and the next, God promises to be our shepherd, leading us into His everlasting joy and peace.
Key Takeaways:
- Personal Relationship with God: Understanding that "The Lord is my shepherd" emphasizes a personal relationship with God. This relationship is foundational, providing peace and contentment even amidst life's challenges. Trusting in God as our shepherd means surrendering our desires and finding fulfillment in His presence. [49:26]
- God's Provision and Peace: The imagery of green pastures and still waters illustrates God's provision and peace. He restores our souls, offering spiritual nourishment and rest. This restoration transforms our character, reflecting Christ's love and generosity, often without changing our circumstances. [53:24]
- God's Presence in Darkness: Even in the darkest valleys, God is with us. His presence dispels fear, and His rod and staff provide protection and guidance. Life's journey often feels like walking through the valley of the shadow of death, but God never abandons us. [59:52]
- Abundance Amidst Adversity: God prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies, symbolizing abundance and grace amidst adversity. This lavish feast of God's presence is available even in trials, offering joy and peace that surpass understanding. [01:05:21]
- Relentless Pursuit of Goodness and Mercy: God's goodness and mercy pursue us throughout our lives, culminating in eternal dwelling with Him. This pursuit is relentless, driven by His covenantal love. Our response is to rest in Him, allowing His presence to transform and sustain us. [01:09:20]
Youtube Chapters:
[0:00] - Welcome
[45:47] - God as Our Shepherd
[46:31] - Prayer for Daisy
[48:04] - Reading Psalm 23
[49:26] - The Good Shepherd
[50:34] - Trusting in Christ
[51:42] - Security in the Shepherd
[52:29] - Learning Not to Want
[53:24] - God's Provision and Peace
[54:46] - Following the Shepherd
[55:25] - Restoring Our Souls
[58:15] - Peace in Trials
[59:52] - God's Presence in Darkness
[01:04:15] - Abundance Amidst Adversity
[01:09:20] - Pursuit of Goodness and Mercy
[01:14:42] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Psalm 23
Bible Reading:
- Psalm 23
Observation Questions:
1. What does the phrase "The Lord is my shepherd" imply about the nature of our relationship with God? [49:26]
2. How does the imagery of green pastures and still waters in Psalm 23 illustrate God's provision and peace? [53:24]
3. In what ways does the psalm describe God's presence and protection during difficult times? [59:52]
4. What is the significance of God preparing a table in the presence of our enemies, according to the sermon? [01:05:21]
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does understanding God as a personal shepherd change one's perspective on life's challenges? [49:26]
2. What does it mean for God to restore our souls, and how does this restoration impact our daily lives? [55:25]
3. How can believers experience abundance and grace even amidst adversity, as described in the sermon? [01:05:21]
4. What does the relentless pursuit of God's goodness and mercy look like in a believer's life? [01:09:20]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent challenge you faced. How did your understanding of God as your shepherd influence your response? [49:26]
2. Identify an area in your life where you struggle to find peace. How can you allow God to lead you to "green pastures and still waters"? [53:24]
3. Think of a time when you felt alone in a difficult situation. How can you remind yourself of God's presence and protection in similar future circumstances? [59:52]
4. In what ways can you rest in God's presence and trust Him to provide and protect, especially when facing adversity? [01:05:21]
5. Consider how God's goodness and mercy have pursued you in your life. How can you respond to this pursuit by resting in Him more fully? [01:09:20]
6. What practical steps can you take to cultivate a deeper personal relationship with God as your shepherd? [49:26]
7. How can you share the peace and contentment found in God with others who may be struggling? [49:26]
Devotional
Day 1: Trusting in the Shepherd's Personal Care
The declaration "The Lord is my shepherd" emphasizes a deeply personal relationship with God, one that is built on trust and surrender. This relationship is not merely about receiving provision but about finding peace and contentment in God's presence, even amidst life's challenges. When you truly understand that God is your shepherd, you can rest in the assurance that He knows you intimately and cares for your every need. This understanding invites you to surrender your desires and find fulfillment in His guidance and love. [49:26]
Isaiah 40:11 (ESV): "He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to trust God as your shepherd? How can you begin to surrender this area to Him today?
Day 2: Experiencing God's Provision and Peace
The imagery of green pastures and still waters in Psalm 23 illustrates God's provision and peace. He leads you to places of rest and nourishment, restoring your soul. This restoration is not just physical but deeply spiritual, offering peace and joy even in turmoil. God's guidance transforms your character to reflect Christ's love and generosity, often without changing your circumstances. This transformation highlights God's ability to work within you, regardless of external situations. [53:24]
Jeremiah 31:25 (ESV): "For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish."
Reflection: In what ways can you seek God's spiritual nourishment and rest in your daily routine? How might this change your perspective on your current circumstances?
Day 3: Finding Comfort in God's Presence During Darkness
Even in the darkest valleys, God is with you. His presence dispels fear, and His rod and staff provide protection and guidance. Life's journey often feels like walking through the valley of the shadow of death, but God never abandons you. He leads you through darkness, ensuring you are never alone. This assurance allows you to face evil without fear, knowing God's strength and protection are greater than any adversary. [59:52]
Psalm 139:11-12 (ESV): "If I say, 'Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,' even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you."
Reflection: Think of a current challenge or fear you are facing. How can you invite God's presence into this situation to dispel fear and provide guidance?
Day 4: Embracing Abundance Amidst Adversity
God prepares a table for you in the presence of your enemies, symbolizing abundance and grace amidst adversity. This lavish feast of God's presence is available even in trials, offering joy and peace that surpass understanding. Your role is to rest in God's presence, trusting Him to provide and protect. This abundance is not just about material provision but about experiencing the richness of God's grace and love in every circumstance. [01:05:21]
2 Corinthians 9:8 (ESV): "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work."
Reflection: How can you shift your focus from scarcity to abundance in your current situation? What steps can you take to rest in God's presence and trust in His provision?
Day 5: Resting in the Relentless Pursuit of Goodness and Mercy
God's goodness and mercy pursue you throughout your life, culminating in eternal dwelling with Him. This pursuit is relentless, driven by His covenantal love. Your response is to rest in Him, allowing His presence to transform and sustain you. In this life and the next, God promises to be your shepherd, leading you into His everlasting joy and peace. This assurance invites you to live with confidence and hope, knowing that God's love and mercy are always with you. [01:09:20]
Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV): "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you experienced God's goodness and mercy in your life. How can you cultivate a daily awareness of His relentless love and allow it to transform your actions and attitudes?
Quotes
1) "Do you know that our Lord and Savior is your shepherd? He is your personal shepherd to walk with you in this life. To lead you. To guide you. To guide you. To protect you. To cover you with all that he is. He is your shepherd. If you are in Christ. If you are in Christ. Because Christ is the good shepherd, the only way to have the Lord as our shepherd is by trusting and following Jesus Christ. The one who gave his life as a ransom for us. The one who lived in righteousness that we could never live. The one who provided everything we need and continues to provide everything we need. The one who promises never to leave us or forsake us." [50:34] (66 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2) "We want for a lot of things, don't we? I had two cars break down this week. I want a new car. I want my father to be healed. I want Daisy to come back. There's all of these things in our life that we do want. We do experience desires for, yet the psalmist is right, David is right to say, I shall not want. See, when we know that God is our shepherd, when we know that he is walking with us and guiding us and protecting us, when we really know that in the depths of our soul, we shall not want. We want because we don't know that as deeply as we should. That's the reality. So God beckons us in with this text from David's heart to say, learn to not want by knowing who I am as your shepherd." [52:29] (73 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3) "He restores my soul. soul see apart from Christ before Christ our souls were full of turmoil full of tribulation full of struggle and there are times now when our souls feel that way don't they it feels like we have this turmoil within us we should rightly we're in a world that's broken and fallen and Christ hasn't fully restored it yet but what he does tell us is in this world he can restore your soul he can provide you with peace when it seems like there could be no peace he can provide you with joy when people look at you and go why would you ever have joy in this situation he can provide you with strength those are the things our God can and does for us do for us everything that we need but it's things for our soul see we look on life and we look for things for our material person you know when my car breaks down my first thought isn't God help me with my frustrated soul right now it's make my car work but what God says is I'm after giving you what you really need you you need your soul restored you need peace you need comfort those are the things that he promises to give for us" [55:25] (97 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4) "Sometimes God leads us into and through the darkness. Sometimes God in his goodness. and in his sovereignty and in his love for you says, I'm going to lead you through this darkness. He hasn't abandoned you when you're in it. He hasn't been overcome by Satan when you're in it. He is leading and guiding you into it and through it. He is still your shepherd and he will still lead you to not want. Think about that. That shows you how good God is. The other reality of this verse is in many ways, all of our life is through the valley of the shadow of death. You see, we are not at home in this world. At least we should not be. We were created to dwell with God forever. We were created to delight and enjoy his presence." [59:52] (71 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5) "We have always been in the last times. Jesus says we're in the last days. We've always been there and evil has always existed because Satan is the ruler of this world. Well, one day he will be done away with. And in the midst of this, we also know that our God is stronger. Our God is greater. So we don't have to fear whatever Satan does to us. Whatever evil comes about in our lives. We have no reason to fear why because the Lord is our shepherd. Because he is with us. And what does it say he does? He says, His rod and his staff comfort him. Now, the rod is what he uses to fend off all the vicious creatures that are after the sheep. So when we think about the rod of the Lord, it's what he's using to protect us from the evil that surrounds us. The staff, however, was used to guide the sheep from falling off a cliff or from going the wrong way. You rope it around the sheep's neck and you pull them back into place. So God does two things through this rod and this staff. He protects you. He protects you from evil and he disciplines you to keep you away from evil. That's how he leads you. That's how he guides you. God is with you in the darkness church." [01:02:33] (90 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6) "This preparation of the table and the presence of his enemies doesn't appear to be outside of the valley. At least in the flow of the of the verse, the flow of the verses. It doesn't appear like he's outside of the valley of shadow of death. It appears that David is saying inside of this darkness that surrounds me inside of this evil that is around me. You set this table up where all my enemies are looking at me sitting down at this table eating a lavish meal of your grace inside of it. Saying my cup overflows. You give me this abundance. You anoint my head with oil. It's this practice of hospitality that just showers love on the person that's coming to visit you. Church, that's what we can experience in this life. Not just a piece that gets through it. That is provided. But there is a way in which when we really walk with our Shepherd so deeply and so personally that we can experience inside of the darkness inside of the trials inside of the difficulties. We can experience life as though we're sitting down at a lavish feast. And enjoy. The presence of our God. While our enemies are around us. While Satan is hurling those flaming darts at you. You are enjoying the feast of God's presence. That can be available to us. It is available to us. It's what God can do for us. And he asks us to sit down and rest in his presence." [01:04:15] (116 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7) "What I should be striving. To do in this life. Is to rest in Jesus Christ. A lot of our struggles come from the fact that we strive to work for Jesus Christ. Or we strive to take care of ourselves to protect ourselves. But God says strive to enter my rest. Strive to rest in me. Strive to let me lead you. Strive to let me. Restore your soul. Strive to trust me that I'm fending off your enemies. Strive to trust me that I'm pulling you back from evil that you think might be good from you. Strive to sit at my table and enjoy. That's what we strive. Because verse 6. Is absolutely. True. David says. Surely. Goodness and mercy. Shall follow me all the days of my life. Now, I rarely like to disagree with translations because I'm not. Big enough. Scholar of Hebrew or Greek to really understand myself, but most scholars almost all the scholars agree. that the translation shall follow me is probably not as strong as it could be. It's maybe better to translate this goodness and mercy or loving kindness, steadfast love, shall pursue me all the days of my life." [01:08:07] (111 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8) "One day, we will be with God if we trust him in this life. One day, all the hardships, all the pain, all the sorrows, all the enemies' attacks, everything that happens in this valley of the shadow of death, one day will be swallowed up. In the joy of God's presence. And he will lavish upon you, as Ephesians 2 tells us, his kindness for all of eternity. This is such a vast difference from any other religion. Most call you to work in this life. With the hopes of maybe being okay for eternity. What I want you to hear today, what I think the Lord wants you to hear today, and I hope I'm right about this. We'll see if he convicts me later, I don't know. Church, what God calls you to do in this life is to rest in him. That's the only call. Jesus says, come to me, all you labor and are weary. Find your rest. That's what you're called to do. Rest in God. Rest in Christ. That's all we're asked to do. Let that sink in. That's all you're asked to do. Rest. And then think about all that God does for you. He leads you. He protects you. He promises comfort and peace and strength. He guides you through this life. He restores your soul. He fins off your enemies while you rest. He prepares a table for you that you can enjoy. That's just in this life. Then when you get to eternity, He shows up. showers you with his presence and his kindness. He wipes away all of your tears. He gives you perfect and everlasting joy. This is who God is. We wait, God works. It's astonishing. It shouldn't be that way. But that's how good God is." [01:10:11] (178 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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