Psalm 23: God's Provision, Guidance, and Protection

David here does not say, I live in the valley. He don't say I'm stuck in the valley. He said, I'm going through the valley. And that lets you know in your life, you got to have some valley experiences. You you got to go through something. That word through is faith language. That means you're just a pilgrim and a stranger passing through this barren land. David's confidence was not based on his strength and his ability. He was based on the presence of god in his life. [00:49:50] (32 seconds)

Shepherds not only feed sheep but they also lead and guide them. They make sure that the sheep know where they supposed to be at. Have you ever been to a sheep pastor? Have you ever watched it on TV? That the shepherd is always looking at every aspect of the sheep's life. If the sheep are hungry, the shepherd leads them to food. If the sheep are thirsty, the shepherd leads them to water. If someone comes and tries to assault the sheep, the shepherds protects them but it all comes in the guiding principles of our our trust the shepherd. [00:42:12] (39 seconds)

If you going to be a good sheep and I'm going be a good shepherd, we all have to be aligned with what god has called us to do. That means that I have to be doing the shepherd work while god is being by Jesus of being the good shepherd to lead and guide me. He must also lead and guide all of us. Let me just put it to you simply. It says the steps of a good man are ordered by the lord. The steps of a good Christian are ordered by who? God. [00:43:16] (30 seconds)

He leadeth me in the path of righteousness for his name's sake. In other words, when god restores you to a place, he's preparing to lead you because when something is restored, that means the one that restorates it or recreates it knows what's best for it. Whatever god fixes something in your life, he wants to lead you into a new direction. Amen. Rest restoration is a powerful word. It it means to bring back, to renew, to return to his right place. [00:39:42] (35 seconds)

Psalms thirty seven and twenty five said, I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread. In other words, you ain't got to worry about when god's gonna do it. You just gotta know god will do it. See, our church has a long understanding of this text. During slavery and segregation, during economic hardship, saying spirituals declaring god would make a way somehow. Provision never looks like what we expect. [00:35:03] (34 seconds)

Have you ever found yourself walking and dealing with a stressful situation in life only to find out that that despite of it all, god would make a way. Yes. Let me give you some some examples. Harriet Tubman led enslaved men and women through the underground river, often traveling at night through forest and swamp. She once testified when food ran out and the journey seemed hopeless, she would pray and trust for god to provide. Amen. [00:36:52] (31 seconds)

Have you ever asked yourself, where is god? And then looked at your situation and realized he's been here all along. Have you ever thought to yourself that if I'm following god and and things are hard on me, is god doing? God is carrying the weight that you can't carry. You ever just find yourself walking and wondering and pondering how it's gonna work out only for god to show up and let you see that I was here all along. [00:36:17] (34 seconds)

Somebody ought to testify because you know all the times that you didn't have enough and god made a way. Amen. Somebody ought to testify when you didn't have a job, god gave you a job that you weren't qualified for. Somebody ought to testify that when your car broke down, your bills you could not cover, that god opened up a door, open up a window, and bless you beyond belief because you had to trust god and I want to tell y'all today, god is still providing. Amen. God is still doing for you despite of you. [00:38:24] (34 seconds)