Psalms 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
Day 1
Success is seen in a life of contentment. We want to discuss the issue of living in peace and contentment. I want to start with an example, which one do you think lives a better life, an antelope in the wild or sheep that has a shepherd? Which of them? Let’s use several examples. For example, the advantage of being an antelope are several,
1.you eat wherever you choose, freedom is the biggest advantage of the antelope, it can eat wherever and whatever it is , not like the sheep that only eat in the paddock that the shepherd has opened and if it sees the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, it can’t go over. It has to eat there until the shepherd allows it to go for the next paddock. Not so for an antelope, it can actually eat anywhere. That’s life of freedom is something that looks very attractive for both.
I think the other thing good about it; an antelope can mix with almost any group of antelopes. Sheep has only have to be these ones of its shepherd. Antelope can also go to other antelopes and mix with them but on the other side, it is important to note the sheep may not have the freedom but it has provision. You just need to go to Nairobi national park during the dry season, January, February ,when it is very dry and you see the carcass of antelopes where they have lacked water and grass. At that time the sheep that has a shepherd are eating the grass that was preserved at an earlier time . Now the shepherd keeps feeding it, in fact it may be as fat during the dry season as it was during the rainy season.So the sheep continues enjoy its provisions even when there is drought out there.
Yes, the sheep is kept in a controlled environment for the protections against the animals. What about the antelope? The antelope has to face the lion. You know the antelope is only helped by its speed, it has to pray that it runs faster than the fastest lion so that it can actually escape for a longer period because basically the lions see the antelope as their food.
Day 2
John 10
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep
What about the sheep? They are kept, and the man knows where he is there are lions, he would make it even harder for the lions to reach the sheep. So, you can see the protection is not for the shepherd good, the protection is for the sheep good. You can see clearly, the sheep would grow faster, be healthier and there is going to be protection from wild animals and from attacks from enemies unlike the antelopes.
But it is lacking what the antelope calls freedom.
You know we are similar as people, somebody feels like he is living his life free by being out there like the prodigal son. He did not want to be controlled by the father. The father was like a shepherd, telling the son don’t do that, do that, why don’t you cultivate here not there.So he said now, if this property of yours is finally going to be mine, give me now, I want my freedom. He actually got his freedom; went to a far land we are told in Luke. He went to a far land and enjoyed his freedom, but the freedom came with responsibilities, when the drought came, just like the antelope, he almost became a carcass until he remembers instead of dying, why don’t I go back, and what I used to call control but at least is survival.
I want to ask you a question; do you want to live a life of contentment? Then you must have a shepherd. You must be a person who is shepherded because the shepherd will shepherd you in feeding you but also shepherd you in protection. That way you are in peace. The antelope has to keep thinking where am I going to eat next, if this grass get finished, if there is a lion in this particular thicket, where else can I go. It has to spend a lot of time planning.
Not so for the sheep, it has a shepherd who plans for it. It will finish this paddock, it will then go to this other paddock now that there is no grass here.It will then eat the fodder in store. Basically, there is somebody planning and investing in the thinking process for the sake of the sheep.
I am suggesting that if you want to live a life of contentment, it will critical you have a shepherd, and so enjoy this life of contentment. The New Testament talks of our shepherd giving us life, and life in abundance.
What are the conditions that can help you to get this? If you go to Psalms 23, we read that ,
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,3 he refreshes my soul.He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,[a]I will fear no evil,
This is the promise you experience if you choose God as your shepherd. However, in this passage I see several conditions for this life of contentment. The first is it starts by saying in verse1 the Lord is my shepherd.
Day 3
Psalms 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd,
Thus , for me to benefit with all the benefits that follow Psalms 23…. the precursor is, is the Lord my shepherd? It is very interesting how you insure your car with insurance company x which is not good at paying when there is an accident but you go to insurance y after an accident which pays better, but they will not pay! You never send your premiums there. It is very interesting how so many people have quarreled with God, how has God forgotten me. They have quarreled and they are so unhappy with God. But ask them do they have God as their shepherd, are they under his control, are they within his fence, could they even be willing to be under his fence.
So here we are, paying our premium to the devil but we want God insurance to be the one to pay us when we are in trouble! The first condition when we really want to live a life of contentment and, joy and peace facing whatever you are facing and yet being confident it would be solved, is the Lord your shepherd?
That’s what the psalmist says. Is Jesus your savior and Lord, have you accepted to be born again and to put yourself fully under his lordship.
Condition number 2, we see in verse 3, he promises to do all that will be for our good, for his name’s sake. It sounds like in the process he is saying, God would not do anything because of us, he will do because of his name’s sake. If he was to do anything because of our sake, we will not qualify, we are too sinful for anything to happen.
So, the condition is, have you accepted that you can only get anything from God by grace. It’s not tit for tat, I have tithed, you know, I have done this, I have done that. You know there are people like that, they think the only way they can get anything from the shepherd is by reminding him what they have done. But what you have done is inadequate, so the psalmist says. All this will happen to me not because am a wonderful guy, but for his name’s sake.
Let me ask it differently, however you live your life, what motivates you?Is it for pleasure or for God’s glory? The psalmist in Psalms 37 say, delight yourself in the lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. If you really want this life where your desires are met, the first thing is to subject those desires to the lordship of Jesus Christ because he will do anything for his Name sake. It is important to ask yourself, how are you living your life? Do you live it to honor and glorify him, do you understand there is nothing you deserve. So you live a life of thankfulness because anything the lord give you, you can’t say yeaahh! After all I tithed! You know even your tithe is not money you are giving God, it’s out of what God has given you, you give a little, but you still retain most of it.
Day 4
1 Corinthians 4
7 For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
So, the truth of the matter is, when we give to God, we are only giving back what is originally his. So the man of peace, is a man who has realized that there is nothing he deserves from God, so he live a life of thankfulness for the things God gives us. Do you know there are many things God gives you but you take them for granted, then you lack something and you are always complaining. But the many thing he has given you, you never became thankful, because you felt after all am a Christian what else should happen to me. Now, anybody who recognizes that anything is for God’s name sake, will be grateful to be able to sleep, will be grateful to be able to wake up, you will be grateful to be able to eat when you know there are people who can’t eat through their mouth for they are having to use pipes. With that view you get excited, you live a life of thankfulness. Like the songwriter,you say count your blessing name them one by one. You live a life where you are happy about the many things that the Lord is doing for you despite the few missing items.
Thirdly, I see another condition in verse 4, for you are with me. Heeeh, in other words, good things happen, 1. When he is your shepherd 2. Because of his name sake 3. If you choose to be with him.
For you are with me, the reason why good things will happen according to verse 3, is because He is with me. Around Christmas we keep repeating the name Emmanuel, God with us. Do you stay in his presence permanently? Do you know there people who think even in church there are people who cannot seat in front because they feel they are not holy enough to be near the altar. What’s an altar? Where God is. How cheated are we? God does not live on earth, he lives in our hearts, so wherever you are that’s where God is, so it is important to understand this idea of practicing God’s presence everywhere all the time will put you to where you are able to sense his presence and so feel at peace. You know there many things you do out there that you cannot do in church, because of thinking that church is where God is present. What about if you knew that God is with you wherever you are? That’s where the blessings will come from, because once you know his presence, then you know you cannot tackle your enemy, you hand him over to the Lord who is with you in that place. Now do you stay in his presence or the condition to enjoy what the psalmist is enjoying is if you know God’s presence is with you.
Fourthly, verse 4 is saying, Iam at peace because it is your rod and staff that comfort me. Do you accept God’s discipline? The shepherd carries a rod to fight the wolves that are coming to attack the sheep, but also carries the staff that which guides the sheep or directs the sheep or disciplines the sheep. The rod is not for the sheep. So do you accept God’s discipline or you are always complaining whenever things are tough. you know the bible tells us, he disciplines his own sons, not others.
In fact, if you find some children doing wrong things, you pick yours, discipline him, you don’t bother with other strangers’ children. This is, generally true today. in history it would be a different thing. So, if God is your lord, he will discipline you. So, you say Your rod and staff they comfort me. All the sheep needs to remember, that rod is useful. If a wolf, came, if a leopard came, my shepherd will handle them. The staff, guiding staff, will show me which direction I should not be moving.
Do you accept God’s discipline? Do you live a life of discipline directed by God. Discipline is ability to do what needs to be done even when it’s not enjoyable, even when it does not please you. Is that the kind of life you live, if you do, then you will be comforted.
Also verse 5 says, you prepare a table before me. In other words do you accepts God’s provisions? Do you accept that God is the one who is providing. He is the one that is preparing a table before you. In other words, you enjoy the meal but really to be frank, it is God who has prepared it. He made it possible. These are the conditions that we need to be aware of if we truly want to live in contentment as you serve the lord.
If those are the conditions then what are blessings? Let’s now look at the psalm to see what the promises are.
Day 5
Psalms 23
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
What are the benefits of being shepherded? Unlike the antelope, you are a sheep being shepherded. If you accept the Lord as your shepherd, verse 1 promises, you lack nothing. I shall not want, in old English. I shall lack nothing, modern English. You know that is something that I find very interesting. How can you lack nothing? The shepherd does not give you what you don’t need, he gives you only what you need. So, he has promised to supply all your needs, not all your wants. All your needs mean that whenever you have a need, you can cry to him. One of the benefit and the thing that will give you peace is to be able to face life and remember what the psalmist wrote that I was young, now am old, I have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging for bread. This is, because, he is the shepherd, I shall lack nothing. And that’s one of the thing you have to think about as a benefit of trusting the shepherd. God’s provision at all times. He is going to give you what you need, in ways he chooses. So, you need to ask yourself, have you made him the shepherd as we said earlier? If you have, then trust, do what he shows you to do. But in the end trust that he will provide, so far, he has provided, maybe he has not provided what you want, but he has provided what you need. No wonder you are alive. So don’t sit there worried. In fact it’s Jesus who asked what can worry bring you?Can it make your hair longer? Worrying is useless and you shouldn’t worry. Instead you will be at peace when you know the Lord is your shepherd and he is the one who provides.
Next verse is saying, he makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters. So, the first thing he is saying, He is this shepherd who makes me enjoys green pastures. That means he brings time of plenty, times of riches, time of joy like weddings and things like that.
You know a lot of people are destroyed by riches. In fact most of us can handle poverty, but for riches require help. Is that why Paul said I have had to learn how to be contented when am in plenty and when am in want. That means that even in plenty, you require God’s help. But he is promising there will be time of green pastures, and he will make you lie down, instead of becoming flurry and running all over. You will be at peace.
You know I talked with a rich man years gone by, more that 40yrs ago, who said the life of a rich man is very difficult. It’s like being at the top of a tree, once you are at the top, the only way you can move might be down. So, he lives clinging to a branch, in case he falls. but poor people are right at the ground, there is no where they can fall. So you need to understand, having plenty, has its own challenges, and you need to ask yourself have you learned how to handle the times of plenty, green pastures, because God is going to give you green pastures. Would you learn how to enjoy green pastures without getting lost.
The next blessing promise is he leads me in quiet waters. This sounds like a time of boredom, when you find no reason for living. Still waters are a time of boredom, whereas riches can put you into a lot of trouble and you end up changing your values and going the wrong way, but what about boredom, at still waters? When water is that still and quiet, it sounds a time of boredom. Many people, tell you I did this and then another, you know I was so bored! So I ended up doing the wrong thing. You need God’s help and he is promising, that he will lead you when beside still waters. He will give you a time when nothing seems to happen, things are routine, you are repeating the same things you have always done and at that point, you need his help. During time of boredom, you need his help to direct you and actually lead you. You need to ask yourself, at the time of boredom or when things are routine, have you learnt to talk to him?He is able to help you survive although the things are so routine. Are you in a repeat of what you have always done. He can give you a new perspective to it, and so you end up at peace and joy although you are doing something repetitive.
Day 6
Psalms 23
3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right path
Another blessing if the Lord is your shepherd is , he refreshes my soul, that is verse 3. here, you are not in riches, you are not in boredom, it sounds like you are depressed. What is he promising? Refreshing your soul. What is he actually promising? He is promising Restoring your soul. That maybe a word that is meant for a person with depression. He is going through stress, and in trouble. God is saying when I take you such to such a situation, I will refresh your soul, I will give you new vitality and things will change.
Thus, you can see the psalmist has looked at several situations and how God has helped him. He is saying even when I was having a depression or some stress, or frustration, God came and he refreshed my soul. It would important to ask yourself if that is something you have gone through.
But verse 3 has something else, he guides me along the right paths. Here is a person wanting to make a decision, to choose a career, to choose a life partner, to make a big business deal. God says. Don’t worry! He is a God who guides me along the right paths. He will make you make the right choices. Isn’t it good to know this kind of a shepherd, who is promising help in every kind of a situation? He has a solution for it. So, you can go to him, to show you many paths that are open to you. Which is the right one, not which is the better one, which is the right one because there is only one right one, but you don’t know it.Better may be the enemy of the best. He guides me along the right paths, and that something that you can rest assured he will do for of his sheep. I need to ask for guidance, direction, getting to know what’s your calling is, your vision and your mission.That’s what he promises, giving you the right paths, a path that lead you to the future/ but which future? You need to pick the right path so that you can go into the right future. God has promised you he will be with you and he will deal with that also.
Look at verse 4, I think it is promising even more. you need to understand as you go on with life that there will be times of the darkest valley. Older English talks about valley of the of the shadow of death. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Tthe new NIV is calling it the darkest valley. Maybe you have just lost a loved one, maybe you have lost your spouse, or you have lost your son, daughter, or you have lost your parent. You are going through a mourning period. He is saying even though am going through a mourning period, I will not be afraid. I know God’s comfort, he has promised it. Verse 4, he will comfort you like we saw earlier.
That’s a blessing and you need to understand he is with you even in the hardest times. But even when we talk about death, valley of the shadow of death, it may not be physical death. It maybe be you are in the university and you have just failed exams and they have told you that you can’t even repeat. So, you have seen your future totally shuttered and it is a loss. Or you had a job and you are now jobless and there is no way you know what the future is, it is a loss. So it is a mourning period. You are not mourning for somebody dead, you are mourning for something lost. He is promising, even if you walk through that valley, during the period you are walking that valley, darkest valley, he is going to be with you, he is going to comfort you.
Day 7
Psalms 23
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,[a] will fear no evil,
for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
He goes on to say these words, I will fear No evil. It means you are facing various enemies and various attacks, he is promising, even when that happens, I will be with you. Remind your self …you are with me, and you will comfort me. That is why the staff and rod are needed for, and they comfort me. He has promised difficult times will come, but you can be at peace and joy right in the middle of the difficult time, why? aahh! Remember, he is with me.. aaah! Remember, he went through a deeper valley when he died on the cross. He understand what am going through.
I think that’s something that can help you, in whatever are you going through. Whatever difficulty. Or a time of fearing what is about to happen? Remember the shepherd will be with you, remember the shepherd has a rod and staff he will defend and comfort you.Then verse 5 says,
you prepare a table before me, in the presence of my enemies, you anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.
Here, he is being blessed even as he dealing with enemies. He is saying, God is so much in charge of your enemies that you can enjoy a meal as they are looking. He prepares a table before me, in the presence of my enemies, means smiling in the storms of life. What is even more is you anoint my head with oil until my cup overflows. In other words the blessings are more than I can handle despite the presence of enemies. When people wish you evil, God still bring success in your way. Finally, because of this realization, goodness, number 2, love, both are going to follow me, not just when am young, not only when am strong, but all the days of my life.
The psalmist finishes with a kicker; I will dwell in the house of the lord forever. In other words, eternity in heaven is my home. Iam assured of life after death. So, I will not worry even of my own death. The Lord will dwell with you in your house forever. This process is forever. Not just for the whole life, I will be attended with goodness and love all the days of my life, and after this life I will dwell in the house of the lord forever and ever. what a promise! That’s why you can live a life of contentment despite various seasons of life.