We fix our eyes upon You, Jesus. We lay aside the thing of the past and choose to run with You into hope. #ihopkc #laurenholmes #conquer via Instagram http://ift.tt/29NT9E4
Psalm 23:3 He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
The Shepherd is not randomly heading off in some unspecified direction. He has picked specific paths to lead and guide his sheep along. As the Shepherd, He goes before them on those paths. He knows the paths, what the terrain is like, what dangers are there, where the food and water is and He knows exactly where these paths lead too. David once again takes the Shepherd of the sheep and makes him his own personal Shepherd when he says He guides “me”, not he guides the sheep or us. Once again I will say we each have to choose the Good Shepherd, we have to make Him our own Shepherd. This passage reminds me of John 10:3, where it says “The good Shepherd calls His own sheep by name and leads them out.” It amazes me that God would know my name and desire to lead me along the paths of righteousness that are right for me. Do you realize that God knows your name and desires to lead you along these paths that are right for your life?
So what is a path? A path is defined as a route, course or track which something moves, or a course of action, conduct or procedure according to dictionary.reference.com. The Good Shepherd has specific paths for our lives to take that will bring us to good places, like the green pasture and cool waters. The psalmist here tells us that the paths we are to be on are paths of righteousness. Righteousness, a word we throw around a lot, but really; what is righteousness?
I looked it up in an old Webster’s dictionary, The American Dictionary of English Language, Noah Webster 1828. It defined righteousness as purity of heart and rectitude of life; conformity of heart and life to divine law. It is nearly equivalent to holiness, comprehending holy principles and affections of heart and conformity of life to the divine law. It includes all we call justice, honesty, and virtue, with holy affection. In my own language, it is a path that lines up with being right with God and God’s Word and will for my life. Some of this path is specific to me and some is general to all my brothers and sisters. For example, God desires for us all to be truthful and not lie, but He did not desire for all my sisters to marry my wonderful husband. My marriage is specific to me. As I look at my life, I have to ask myself if ALL of my life is on the paths of righteousness, or do I have some paths that are not righteous in my life.
We have all kinds of paths that our life is taking, that’s why David said paths not path. We have educational paths, career paths, financial paths, marriage paths, religious paths and the list can go on. Each of these paths can be righteous or not. They can be conforming to God’s way or not. We are free to choose. The question relies on what we have chosen. Are we willing to go along with the Shepherd, following where He leads or are we going to wander off the right path for another that might look inviting, but has unknown dangers?
I think what I find interesting here is He leads me along these specific paths for “His name sake”. This is a reality check for me. What I am doing and how I am doing it reflects not just on me, but on the one who is leading me. What reflection am I giving? There is a tee shirt out that says, “Be like the moon, Reflect the SON.” Am I reflecting positively about my Good Shepherd? Is my life and how I live it giving him glory? Is it honoring His name? Dose it reveal that I am one who is allowing the Good Shepherd to be my leader?
All for now off to do some contemplating. Until next time may you be blessed as you follow the Good Shepherd.
Making a difference is one of the keys to a successful, happy life that you can be proud to live. From a Christian perspective, that’s one of the best things you can do. The benefits reach farther than we can imagine in the lives of everyone involved. By spending your time making a difference in the life of another person, you’re relieving loneliness and boredom in your own life, and changing the whole world for the better, for someone else.
Is it possible that you’re lonely? I know I was. Or, feel like you’re not accomplishing anything in your life now-a-days? I know I felt stagnant. How about going to your local nursing home to volunteer to read out loud to a blind person who would definitely appreciate it, or maybe take one of the many free classes offered in most communities these days to bring structure to your life, expand your knowledge base, and quite possibly make a new friend? Once the class is over, could you become an instructor? Wouldn’t that be an accomplishment! You could teach people in your same or similar situation, giving special attention to those who feel they need the extra help. Since you had just taken the class, you’ll know what areas are the most difficult and can spend extra time on those specifically.
It certainly doesn’t have to be that drastic either, babysitting for the young couple across the street from you, so they can have a night out together, away from the new baby or adopting a puppy or kitten possibly. Helping others is the best way to help yourself. That is true, just keep your eyes open to the possibilities and don’t get in over your head.
My name is Phillip and my heart’s deepest desire, indeed, craving, is to ‘know’ our Father, through Jesus, our Lord! My heartfelt prayer for each and every reader is that the seeds planted within this blog touch - - truly touch and move within your heart, first, if you do not yet know the Lord, to draw you to come to ‘know’ Him; and if you already have a precious relationship to and with Him, to spark your hunger and desire to ‘know’ Him deeper and deeper.
A little background: I had grown up in a home that knew ‘not’ God, and the conduct of those in my family, myself, especially, had reflected this in our daily lives. When I learned from God’s Word that He IS Love, (1st John 4:8;16), I began the quest of finding answers for my personal life in perspective to this Truth. I, praise God, have always had a love for Truth. It would be His Grace that would deliver myself from having been in mental institutions, probably over 2 dozen times in my life, including 3 times since having been married to my beautiful wife. Over time, God, through His Word, and through truth the Holy Spirit has so graciously revealed to myself who I am, and I have become a prayer warrior and a heart ‘so longing’ to truly ‘know’ our Father’s Heart, that my whole life is being devoted to this deep innate cry within. Come and journey with me to come to ‘know’ our true Father’s Heart’. The quest of my Life, I pray with ‘all’ my heart, shall be a blessing for you!! (Just an fyi - - in The Word, to ‘know’ means to, in your heart, ‘know’ the individual - whom he/she is - truly is! ‘Know’ is not know about someone, as a biography, but truly in the very core of our being, know the other).
Journey with me, trustingly, to ‘see’ life differently through the Eyes of The One Whom is the definition of Love!! You are special, and God loves you very, very much, (Psalm 139:13-16), and so longs for you to come to ‘know’ Him! THAT is Truth!!! HALLELUJAH!
sometimes you gotta just lay on the couch and stare at the ceiling fan and talk to God about confusing life things and tell Him you’re gonna trust him even though nothing makes sense right now
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