The Lord is my Shepherd

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

A shepherd guards and looks out for his sheep. If one is lost, he looks for it and brings it back to the flock. Jesus takes care of us and gives us everything we need.

² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

We can obtain rest and restoration. He provides living water and the bread of life.

³ He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 

He refreshes our mind and guides us the right way we should follow.

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

I don't have to be afraid because He is always with me. When He corrects us, it is in preparation for the wonders to come. Even in death we need not fear because He has prepared great things which we cannot understand now.

⁵ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Jesus will win in the end and vengeance belongs to Him.

⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Is he your shepherd? John 3:16

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You are Perfect

You might wonder why God made people in the first place. The answer is simple. He made Adam and Eve and walked with them in the garden. He wanted company. People on earth have a purpose for being here and He loves each of them.

You are perfect

God planned for you to be here right now, in this time span. You might not look perfect to the world, or your neighbors, but you are where He planned for you, all for His purpose and glory. You may, you may find your little corner of the world boring and wish to move but when that time comes, God will orchestrate every detail.

How you look.

God made sure your parents met and the right set of genes formed you. You are the right race and nationality. Every detail was planned out before time began. Your hair and eyes glow with the ideal color.

 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Psalm 139.14 KJV

Your talents

Think of the people close to you. Each one is different because he/she has a talent and excels at it. Some people sing like angels, others write, paint, or play instruments. Each performs in a unique way and each talent is important. Each talent serves him in a different way.

Be happy

Wherever you are right now, whatever your situation, God is in control. You are perfect for what God wants to accomplish through you. He made you perfect and He does not make mistakes. Be happy for whatever is happening now and use it to help others and glorify your maker. 

Why People Hate Jesus

It is popular these days to mock Christians and make fun of Jesus and even to deny God. People think it is okay to do and be anything that feels good to them. Here a few of the reasons that people hate Jesus.

Jesus speaks the truth.

His presence convicts people. They know in their inner being that He speaks truth with power and authority. They know that their life and mission do not measure up and that a reckoning may come someday. They resent being reminded.

He cannot be stopped

The Bible reminds us that God’s word never returns void.  Christianity survives no matter what happens. Even today, church persecution is rampant in some places.  Dissenters kill pastors, burn churches, threaten and kill congregation members.  They can suppress Christianity but not kill it.

In some countries, people gather secretly at house churches or secret Sunday Schools at the risk of death.  In many places, Bibles are at a premium.  When someone brings one Bible to a meeting, it passes from hand to hand, each person tearing out a precious page and passing it to the next person.

He is a light in a dark world

In a dark world, one can see the tiniest light. Perhaps you have been in a room at night when the electric suddenly shut off because of a storm or accident. You grope around in the dark and someone lights a candle. Everyone looks at that candle which represents hope in your now dark world.

Our world is the darkness and Jesus is the light

“Then spoke Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world:

He that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

John 8:12

The best news

Even if you hate Jesus, he still loves you anyway. It is not too late. You can turn from hatred and fall into the arms of love. Try it today.

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Is this what God Intended for the World?

At night, I often listen to “Coast to Coast” on the radio. The other night, it ran a “Somewhere in Time” program (rerun). The host talked about the horrendous news events of the day. He also spoke of his agnostic view of the world.

He had a problem believing that a real God would permit such things to happen. He said that if God were real, He would prevent these unspeakable occurrences.

He read them off one at a time.

• One little girl got mad at another little girl and stabbed her in the back with a kitchen knife, killing her.
•  A mother threw her baby out the window. She did not bother to open the window.

• Two young men broke into a mortuary. They stole some equipment like computers and other electronics.  Before they left, they violated some of the bodies.

The host asked if that is what God intended for the world. 

We could ask that question about the news of any day. Today, we hear about someone who drove his car down a beach boardwalk, killing, injuring, and terrorizing. A chaotic scene filled the TV screen.  Something happens every day to challenge our faith.

The Trouble with People

Why is the world enveloped with such chaos and senseless crimes? There are a couple of reasons and they are not God’s fault.

• He gave people free will to do as they please.
•  People have a sinful nature because of the fall in the garden.

I think God gave us free will because he wants us to make a choice whether or not we will follow Him, if we will love Him. Everyone wants love but no one wants love that is forced and phony.

God’s Plan

God knew that free will leads to sinful behavior. Pride causes people to do desperate things to get ahead, to be superior, to be greater than any other. Greed, lust, and other sinful drives cause much misery in the world.

God had a plan to overcome man’s sinful ways. He sent His son into the world to sacrifice himself to atone for the sins of free will and a fallen world. Those who believed and followed his son and repented of their sins would join Him in eternity.

 When you think of your life, do you repent of the things you have done? Can you believe God’s promises while living in this confused and confusing world?

If you do, profess your belief and join the ranks of those who will someday roam the streets of gold..

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