Our Shepherd and His sheep

1. "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want! (What is David really telling me about My Lord)

"I am THE GOOD SHEPHERD. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep." John 10:11

"I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20 

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2. He makes me to lie down in green pastures;  (Why is this so important?)

"He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm..." Isaiah 40:11  (What kind of food?)

 

"And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding." Jeremiah 3:15

 

“I am THE BREAD OF LIFE. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." John 6:35 (Do I really believe that?)
 

God's Armor: Feed on Truth.  (Ephesians 6:10)

3. He leads me beside the still waters. (What does He show us here?)

"If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 'He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, 'out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:37-38  (What does He want us to do?)

"Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst....[It] will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:14-15  (What is my response?)

“...unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." John 3:5 (How does He prepare us to walk with Him?)

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4. He restores my soul;

(Psalmist) "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23-24  (What do I find in my heart?)

(John's letter) "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:8-9 (My response?)

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29 (My response?)

(Psalmist) "Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:25-26

God's Armor: His Gospel of PEACE - receive and share it!

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5. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. (What does He call me to do?)

"He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." Matthew 5:6  (Is His righteousness more important to me than my comfort?)

"...seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Matthew 6:33-34 

God's Armor: Put on His Righteousness.  Eph. 6:10

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6. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; - for You are with me; (In the Bible, the word "death" is used in different contexts. What does it mean here? What is He showing me, personally, here?)

"...because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.... If they persecuted Me they will persecute you... for they do not know the One who sent Me." John 15:19-21  (If I am not of the world, what sets me apart from the world?)

(John's letter) "...the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one." 1 John 5:19  (What are some of the ways satan might sway my mind and actions)

(Peter's letter) "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world." 1 Peter 5:8-9 (How can I resist his lures?)

God's Armor: Hold up His shield of FAITH

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7. Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. (In what ways do they comfort me"

(Proverbs) "My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction. For whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights." Proverbs 3:11-12  (How can we make sure we're not be too busy and distracted to hear His corrections)

(Peter's letter) "Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord..." 1 Corinthians 15:57-58

(Hebrews) "...since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
     "For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. " Hebrews 12:1-4

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8. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; (What a privilege to sit safely with Him as corruption spreads and the world changes around us! What is He promising us?)

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You... that the world may believe that You sent Me." John 17:20-21

 

(Peter's letter) "We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed... perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed — always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body." 2 Corinthians 4:7-10  (What does this really mean?)

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9. You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.  (How does that change my life?)

(John's letter) "...the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him." 1 John 2:27

 

"...the Spirit of truth...will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come..." John 16:13-14

(Hebrews) "Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever." Hebrews 13:20-21  (What is the everlasting covenant between God and me?)

 God's Armor: Helmet of SALVATION

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10. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever! 

(Paul's letter) "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment [as seen from God's eternity], is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

"God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Revelation 21:3-4

God's Armor: The Sword of the Spirit: God's eternal WORD