Praise To Our Great Shepherd

Psalm 23:1-6

David exalted God.

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David called God ‘The LORD’.

God is worthy of our exaltation.

We must never be ashamed to exalt, praise and worship Him.

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David called God his shepherd.

Our Shepherd loves us.

He tends to us, cares about us, leads us, feeds us, protects us and guides us through our lives.

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David experienced God.

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David had personal experiences with God.

He had a close and intimate relationship with Him.

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David had precious experiences with God.

God had led him to the place of safety, and the abundant supply of food and drink.

David was confident that God would take care of all his needs.

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David had profound experiences with God.

God had brought him from death to life.

God had restored his soul.

God had always led him in the right way. It was the best path of all: His path.

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David praised God.

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David praised God for His power.

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David praised God for giving him peace as he passed through the frightening and dangerous places.

David praised God for His presence to lead him, feed him, protect him and watch over him.

David praised God for correcting, protecting, rescuing and restoring him.

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David praised God for His provisions.

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David praised God for giving him food.

David praised God for giving him rest.

David praised God for giving him refreshment.

David praised God for giving him peace.

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David praised God for His promises.

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David praised God for promising to help him today.

David praised God for promising to give him hope for tomorrow.

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Some applications.

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We can also sing praises to the great Shepherd.

Our God is worthy of our love, our faith, our praise and our devotion.

Let us praise Him now!

He is our Great Shepherd!

Believer's Song

Psalm 18:1-3

King David declared his love for the Lord.

He was so filled with love for the Lord that he wanted to get real close to Him and hug Him.

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King David declared his absolute dependence upon the Lord.

He planned to live for the Lord, to love the Lord and to depend on the Lord for everything he needed, did and was in life.

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David’s praised God.

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It was praise for a personal God.

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It was praise for a powerful God.

To him, God was his rock where he found his stability.

To him, God was his fortress where he found his safety and perfect peace.

To him, God was his deliverer who saved and rescued him in times of danger.

To him, God was his God who was over all things and who was in control of all things.

To him, God was the strength of his life.

To Him, God was his shield who stepped between him and his trials.

To him, God was the horn of his salvation. He was totally secure in Him.

To him, God was his stronghold with a place of rest, refreshment and ready supply.

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David’s pledged to call on God and to trust Him and Him alone for the victories of life.

He pledged to walk by faith and not by sight!

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God is all that the Bible says He is and even more.

We are to love God, to live for Him, and to depend on Him for everything in our lives.

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Let us be like king David.

Blessed Believer

Psalm 1

Believer is separated from the wicked.

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He refuses the counsel and invitation of the wicked.

He refuses to behave like them.

He refuses to belong to them.

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Believer is careful how he lives every day.

He is careful not to go from bad to worse.

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Believer is in love with the word of God.

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The Word of God has captured his full affection.

It is the Word of Truth.

It is God-breathed and infallible, inerrant and absolutely perfect.

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Believer loves the Bible, finding in its pages all he needs to grow and prosper for the Lord Jesus.

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Believer is attentive to the Word of God.

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The Word of God has captured his full attention.

He lives out the Word of God daily.

The Bible has become his singular standard for faith and practice.

Every thought, every move, every decision he makes is made according to the Word of God.

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Believer spends his days and his nights in the pursuit of the Bible.

He is consumed with its content and mesmerized in the meditation of it.

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Believer will prosper.

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Believer lives close to God every day.

He is vibrant, lively and productive, because he is connected to an unfailing source of life and strength.

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He is prominent among all those around him.

He has his roots deep into the water of life.

He has a ready source of life.

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Believer is a blessing to all those around him.

Plenty of fruit will come in its season.

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Believer is evergreen.

He lives consistently!

He is always stable, faithful and dependable.

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Believer is blessed.

God will bless his personal life, family life, business life, church life, and spiritual life.

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Blessed believer!

The Truth

Mark 10:23-31

As the rich man walked away, the Lord Jesus looked around at His disciples and made an astonishing statement.

He said that people who possessed the riches of this world would have great difficulty to enter into God’s kingdom.

The problem was not with the person having the money.

The problem was when the money had the person.

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The disciples were amazed at His statement.

The Jews saw health, wealth, and prosperity as blessings from God.

They had the example of rich Abraham, David, Job, and Solomon.

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The Lord Jesus sensed their amazement and He clarified what He meant.

First, He called them, “Children”.

That was a term of endearment.

Then He told them that people who trusted in riches would find salvation impossible.

It would be like trying to stuff a camel through the eye of a sewing needle.

This was a hyperbole, an exaggeration used to emphasize a truth.

The Lord Jesus was referring to a literal camel and a literal needle.

If a person trusted in their riches, he or she would not go to Heaven!

The rich man’s wealth was the focus of his faith.

His wealth was his reason for living.

And he refused to let it go.

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Those who sought salvation in their own resources would be disappointed at the end of their lives.

They would find that their money, fame, power and position couldn't provide them with the salvation for their souls.

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The disciples were dumbfounded by what they heard.

They responded by asking, “Who then can be saved?”

They realized that everybody could be caught up with the things of the world.

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The Lord Jesus told them that though men might find it impossible to break the hold of their things, but God in His power, could set them free.

If the rich man would obey the Lord Jesus, He would have given him grace to relinquish his hold on his wealth.

He would have saved his soul, and blessed him with heavenly and spiritual riches.

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Peter spoke up.

He told the Lord Jesus that they had left everything to follow Him.

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The Lord Jesus responded by saying that God saw, recorded and rewarded every sacrifice that was made for Him.

And God would reward them far more in their future than all that they had left behind in their past.

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But there was a price to pay in following Jesus.

Difficulties and trials would come because of commitments to God.

But God would bless His people in spite of any trial they might face along the way.

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The Lord Jesus promised eternal life.

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But those who were first in this world would finish last in the race to Heaven.

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In God’s eyes, it is not riches that make a person somebody special.

It is faith in Jesus.

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The poor and faithful servants will have God’s attention.

And they will be rewarded accordingly.

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What do we trust to take us to Heaven?

Anything but the Lord Jesus will ultimately fail.

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What is our attitude toward our money?

Money must always be used as a tool in our service to the Lord.

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What have we given up to follow the Lord Jesus?

The Lord God will reward us much more than we can imagine.

Don’t Hinder The Children

Mark 10:13-16

The Lord Jesus turned His attention to the children brought to Him by their parents.

He prayed for them and blessed them.

The disciples rebuked the parents.

The Lord Jesus was indignant.

He rebuked the disciples for their attitude regarding the children.

He told them that little children were what the kingdom of Heaven was all about.

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Parents are to tell their children about Jesus Christ.

They are to expose their children to the Gospel.

They are to bring them to the church on a regular basis.

They are to pray for them.

They are to guide them in the Bible study at home.

They are to be consistent in their lives as believers.

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Parents are to educate their children about Jesus Christ.

They are to educate their children about the things of God.

They should bring their children face to face with the saving Lord early in their lives.

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Parents are to encourage their children to believe in Jesus Christ.

They are to encourage their children to seek the things of God.

They are to teach them to pray at an early age.

They are to make the Bible a big part of their daily life.

They are to pray with them.

They are to bring them to Sunday School and preaching.

They are to involve them in church activities.

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Children need to be saved.

They are sinners too.

Parents are to do all they can to bring their children face to face with the claims of the Gospel.

They are to expose them to the Word of God.

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Children become accountable for their sins when they come to age.

They are responsible for their sins when they can understand the difference between right and wrong, and are able to choose between them.

When children reach a level of mental understanding regarding the nature of sin and its consequences, and are able to make a decision for or against Jesus Christ, they are to make correct decision.

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Children are trusting, humble and dependent.

They don’t worry over food, clothing or shelter.

They don’t doubt that their family members love them.

They simply accept profound things by faith.

They don’t look beyond the obvious.

They just believe!

So should we; we must have childlike faith if we are to be saved!

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When the disciples rebuked the parents, the Lord Jesus Christ was indignant.

He was very angry when the disciples tried to prevent children from coming to Him.

Children hold a special place in His heart!

And He took the time to bless each individual child that came before Him.

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The Lord Jesus cares about children.

He prays for them and blesses them.

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The Lord Jesus loves believers with childlike qualities.

He will readily help them and bless them when they come to Him.