with oil

You anoint my head with oil.  Psalm 23:5 

In the Old Testament, Priests and Kings were anointed to be set apart to in service to God.  Oil is a symbol for joy and for the Holy Spirit.  In the New Testament, every believer is a priest to God.  We are to worship and proclaim.  We are to be in relationship to Christ intimately and proclaiming the Gospel to the world intentionally.  Who is adequate for these things?

Believers are to be anointed with the Holy Spirit which sets us apart for service for the Lord.   For, Jesus said, ... " apart from Me you can do nothing.  Jesus, John 15:5

I wonder how many of us (including me) really believe this?  We are not adequate in ourselves to  accomplish anything that will have everlasting fruit.  But God is our adequacy and He makes us adequate as servants of the New Covenant.

Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves but our adequacy is from God who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter of the Law, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life, 2 Corinthians 3:5-6.

Without God’s anointing our lives we are merely going through religious motions.  We are shooting blanks.  We are kidding ourselves.  We are not adequate for the eternal work God has called us to.  We need His blessing, His face to shine on us, His peace to govern us and His Spirit to anoint us!

May He anoint your head . . .  and may it flow all the way down to your feet - Psalm 133:2

the table

For you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies — Psalm 23:5

Our Table:  For thirty-four years my wife and I have sat down at table to enjoy God’s provision.  Through these years He has blessed us with six children and now a continuing growing number of grandchildren.  We have regularly sat down at table over the years to share in God’s goodness.  We have our family get togethers which usually end up at our table. We laugh, cry, share, listen, talk, eat, and celebrate at this table.  Our table is a “sacred” place that is set a part from the rest of this crazy-busy life for us to come apart before we come apart.  

The Table:  As we follow our shepherd in this Christian journey we soon discover we are not alone.  We have an enemy.  He stalks us.  He tempts us.  He tries to deceive us and devour us.  Yet we have the Shepherd.  He not only leads us, guides us, protects us but also provides for us in one of the most surprising ways.  He invites us to the table in the presence of our enemies.  Normally, we wouldn’t be spending much time at the table if we knew the enemy was surrounding us and coming after us.  But we need not fear.  The Shepherd is with us and we are under his care and our enemy dares not draw near.  Instead, we are invited to table with Him, relax and enjoy the feast He sets before us.  And so, we do, by faith we enter into life with Him at table in the presence of our enemies.  

The Lord’s Table:  This is no ordinary table — This is the table in which God and man are sat down.  This is the table where the New Covenant is confirmed with the Passover Lamb and the Cup.  This is the table where we witness an incredible phenomenon — we see the nature of our God as the God who bends Himself to serve us and wash our feet!  I am serious.  Read it in John 13.  It is at this table that God provides our eternal fellowship with Him and even there He had an enemy sitting at His table. No worries though.  He knew about the enemy and yet He still prepared the table for us.  

The Banquet Table:  This table is the feast of the Lord!  At this table, we find the Lord still serving - for He will serve and wait on each one of us!  Remarkable!  In His Day, He serves.  Blessed are all of those who have responded to His invitation to this Great Day. There is a place reserved for you at this table.  All you need to do is send in your R.S.V.P.  Have you done so?  What are you waiting for?  

walk through

even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for You are with me.... Psalm 23:4

I don’t like this valley. I would rather keep climbing the mountain into the heavenly places.  Our Heavenly Father knows best why we must enter the valley. We must trust.   Personally, I would rather go around the valley but God takes us through the valley.  This valley looks like and feels like death itself.  But notice it is only the shadow of death.  There is One who has already gone ahead of us who has traveled into death itself and came out alive forevermore! For this reason, no son or daughter of God will ever go through the valley of death but death’s shadow.  (Still scary though)  But once again, we don’t have to be afraid for the One who has gone through the valley of death and conquered is with me and you ... all the way home. 

Are you in a valley of the shadow of death right now?  You may ask, “what do I do?”  That’s what I ask and I also cry out - “get me out of here!”  So, what does God tell us to do. He tells us to walk. Don’t sit. Don’t run.  But walk.  Walk through.... and learn everything you can about the One who is with you and learn everything about yourself as you go through.  Keep your eye on Him and not on the valley. And remember, because of the Cross of Christ, this is really only a shadow and the shadow cannot ultimately harm you.  

guide me

He guides me in paths of righteousness for His Name sake.  Psalm 23:3

In the Exodus, the Lord delivered Israel out of Egypt and guided them on a journey from Egypt through the wilderness to the Promised Land.  This path was not a straight highway.  It was full of various twists, turns and testing.  In a similar way,  Jesus is guiding us through the “Great Exodus” from the tyranny of sin to the our eternal inheritance, the New Heavens and New Earth!  

Psalm 23 is positioned between two Mountainous Psalms!  Psalm 22, a Messianic Psalm regarding the Cross, and Psalm 24, a psalm regarding the enthronement of the Lord in His temple.  Between these two “mountains” - Mount Calvary, Psalm 22 and Mount Zion, Psalm 24 is our journey of Psalm 23.  We have The Shepherd who guides us from the Cross to the Crown.  

The New Heavens and New Earth — our destination.  The Shepherd — our guide. He knows the way Home for He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father but through Him!  

restore me

He restores my soul - Psalm 23:3

The word restore means to turn back, to return, or to bring back.  This is the work of our Father for our souls are fragile, easily broken and offended.  

Do you remember the childhood saying, “sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me”?  Really?  Bones mend and heal but being called names can hurt an entire lifetime!  

How is your soul....right now....honestly?  At the moment, mine is tender and torn.  

When my soul is broken and I don’t know what to do to restore it, I have learned to ask my Father to restore it and somehow He does.  He is the Great Physician and He knows the healing way.  If He has torn you, He will heal you - Hosea 6:1.

He is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit - Psalm 34:18.  

Be on the look out for your Father’s restoring touch through His Word - Psalm 19:7, through the Holy Spirit, John 14:16, through some special friends - 2 Timothy 1:15-18.   

Tonight, I asked the Lord for a small touch of His presence and love - in a fresh way,  just to know that He is near even when “many bulls have surrounded me” - Psalm 22:12.  We were not home more than ten minutes than when unexpected visitors came to stop by and blessed our soul!  

Our Father sees, hears and bends down to come to our aid when we cry to Him - Hebrews 2:18.  

From your heart to His, ask Him now to restore your soul.  

“Bless the Lord, O my soul and ... forget none of His benefits”

lead me

He leads me beside quiet waters - Psalm 23: 2

I like the rushing sound of mountain streams racing downhill.  The water is so “alive”.  The water bubbles, jumps, and with great delight and races to the lowest place to be transformed and then to ascend to the heavenly places.  Nature teaches us the way to greatness.

But there is a time and place for quite - quiet waters.  Our world is a constant rat race.  It is full of tension, pressure, noise, deadlines, conflicts, competition, striving and we find our souls become ragged. We try for balance but life is rarely balanced.  The Lord Jesus’ life was hardly “balanced” but He did practice solitude with the Father to keep Himself emotionally-spiritually whole and on course.  He modeled the source of “quiet waters” for us — time alone with the Father.   

The secret to coming beside quiet waters is to be led there.  Notice, He leads us besides the quiet streams.  Am I leadable?  Right now, my soul is ragged and even as I write this devotional I sense the Lord leading me to the quiet streams of Psalm 62, Ps 46, Ps 121 and just to sit soaking in God’s Word and Promises through reading, mediation, prayer and praise.  There is a calm here and a peace that transcends understanding.  

May the Lord quiet your heart and soul today with through the comfort of the Holy Spirit and through so the soaking in of His Word.  

make me

He makes me lie down in green pastures. Psalm 23:2a

How does He do this?  I have discovered that the Lord “makes” me lie down when, 1. He allows me to be overloaded and I run out of “gas” and then I finally look to Him.  2. He challenges me through the rough terrain of trial and through the fire.  It is here that I am learning “to lie down” and trust Him.  3. He uses friends, family and even foes for me to take spiritual inventory of my life.  

What are the green meadows?  Green meadows are lush, pleasant, peaceful, full of nourishment and refreshment.  For me, the “green meadows” is the Word of God. This is where I find God’s peace, provision, rest, comfort, encouragement, strength and hope.  He uses circumstances and people in my life to “make me lie down” in the green meadows of His Word.  How about you?  Where do you find yourself lying down in today? 

shepherded by

I am reflecting on a very familiar Psalm - Psalm 23. Can't get past the first statement - The Lord is my Shepherd. 
A Shepherd is one who cares for, feeds, leads, guides sheep. A Shepherd knows his flock personally and intimately. AND this is no ordinary Shepherd - This Shepherd is Yahweh Himself!!!! Yahweh is the lord's personal covenant keeping name. Yahweh is the I AM - He is all - all sufficient, all knowing, all powerful ... all we will ever need. Not only this - This Shepherd is YOUR shepherd. You are His!

blossom

God made you.  You are not an accident.  God chose to create.  Choosing to create implies and indicates that there is a reason, a purpose for creating. You are you because God created you and in Christ has good works for you to carry out.  He however, doesn’t want you to just do but to be — to be in relationship with Him — for that is where you get your identity. And out of your identity flows your doing — from being to doing; from worship to service.  Be with God as He is with you and you will blossom. 

fringes

Jesus spoke and the heavens were made –Can you do that?  Jesus placed the stars in the sky and calls them all by name.  Can you do that?  Jesus stretches the heavens out like a tent.  Can you do that?  Jesus said hush, be still and the wind and waves obeyed Him. Can you do that?  Jesus made the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the lame to walk , the dead to live .  Can you do that? Jesus will renew the heavens and earth and make all things new. Can you do that?    Who is this Jesus?  He is the visible expression of the Invisible God: CREATOR.  He is the One who holds the universe and the miniverse together: SUSTAINER.  He is the One who guides, directs, leads and sets the vision for the redeemed people of God: HEAD.  He is the leader of the resurrection parade: LORD.  (Col 1:15-18).  In a word, Jesus is SUPREME.  And yet, in reference to His creative work,  all that you have experienced, seen and even imagined is merely the fringes of His ways.  “Behold, these are the fringes of His ways.”  Job 26:14  It will take an eternity of eternities to explore the fullness of Jesus.  Are you up for that? 

Jesus spoke and the heavens were made –Can you do that?  Jesus placed the stars in the sky and calls them all by name.  Can you do that?  Jesus stretches the heavens out like a tent.  Can you do that?  Jesus said hush, be still and the wind and waves obeyed Him. Can you do that?  Jesus made the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the lame to walk , the dead to live .  Can you do that? Jesus will renew the heavens and earth and make all things new. Can you do that?    Who is this Jesus?  He is the visible expression of the Invisible God: CREATOR.  He is the One who holds the universe and the miniverse together: SUSTAINER.  He is the One who guides, directs, leads and sets the vision for the redeemed people of God: HEAD.  He is the leader of the resurrection parade: LORD.  (Col 1:15-18).  In a word, Jesus is SUPREME.  And yet, in reference to His creative work,  all that you have experienced, seen and even imagined is merely the fringes of His ways.  “Behold, these are the fringes of His ways.”  Job 26:14  It will take an eternity of eternities to explore the fullness of Jesus.  Are you up for that?  

the vinedresser

Jesus told us something wonderful about The Father.  He tells us that the Father is The Vinedresser of the Vineyard.  The Vinedresser is the expert gardner who takes care of the vine and each of the branches.  He “takes up” the weak branches that are not bearing fruit.  This means that He helps restore the weakened branch to health in order for it to bear fruit.  He prunes ( a painful experience) the fruitful branches. He does this in order for the branches to bear more fruit. He removes the dead branches that hinder the growth of the fruit bearing branches.  The Vinedresser knows what each branch needs and how to take care of it.  This is our heavenly Father!  You are the branch!  ....ponder and treasure.