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All-Sufficient Relationship

Psalm 23:1,4
1The LORD is my shepherd, I shall lack nothing.( He is such and awesome God that I’m content with what I have).
Then David speaks about all the provisions that come to him as being the one whom the Lord shepherds, and in verse 4 he says this:
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

David related his relationship with God to a shepherd taking care of his sheep. Shepherd is a verb that means:
1. He will be.
* He looks out for our future. He’s concerned about what’s happening in our future. He has the ability to take care of our future. God didn’t bring us to this point to stop being concerned about our future. The devil will try to get us scared but God…
2. He is.
* He takes care of whatever happens in our lives right now.
3. He has been.
* He is a God who handles our past. The devil will remind you of your past. Your past wants to catch up and track you down. That might of been who you were but that’s not who you are today.

**Future… Present tense… And our past

You see, God does not guarantee His people that we will not walk
through the valley of the shadow of death. In fact, the psalmist really assumes that at some time or another we will.
I don’t believe that valley is just dying physically. I believe there are many
occasions in life when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death – occasions of bereavement, loneliness, sickness, poverty, discouragement.
* God does not promise that we will not walk through those valleys, but He does promise to be with us.
And in particular He promises that His rod and His staff will comfort us.
For me, the rod represents discipline, the staff represents comfort.
And I believe the implication is that if we want God’s comfort we must submit to His discipline, and on that basis His
presence with us is guaranteed even in the darkest valley.
* And His presence illuminates the darkness of the valley.

*When I am lonely God is my companion.
*When I am worried God is my confidence
*When I am tempted God is my accountability.
*When I am discouraged God is my encouragement.

Light: Enables us to see which direction we should walk in.
Eyes: These need to be open; to see Jesus, to see the way, and to help others.
1 JN 1: 5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from ALL sin.
Indeed the manifestation of the light is the absence of darkness. It is clear that the one that walks with God has seen the light BUT an inconsistent relationship with the light will produce spots of darkness.

“…for you are all sons of light and
sons of day. We are not of night
nor of darkness…But since we are
of the day, let us be sober, having
put on the breastplate of faith and
love…”  1 Thessalonians 5:5-8

God I ask that you expose the darkest areas of my life in the deepest areas of my soul. May Your Light reveal them and bring them forth so that I may confess my sin and be clean and in pure fellowship with You.
I want Your light to shine through me and be a light unto my path. Lead me in the paths that I take and may I, a broken vessel, be used by YOU to shine in this dark and broken world. Lead me where YOU want me to go.
Amen
Love the Lord with all you heart mind soul and strength above all other things. Imitate the Lord. Being an imitator of Christ. Ephesians 5:1

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