The Lord Is My Shepherd

“The Lord is my shepherd.”

Psalm 23:1

“The beautiful Psalm that starts with the words, “The Lord is My Shepherd, I shall not want” remarkably describes how peaceful, fulfilling, and rewarding it is to live under the love and care of our Good Shepherd, our loving and gracious Lord Jesus Christ.  Most of us have heard this Psalm, perhaps remembered it by heart when we were kids, as it is a prayer that assures us of His protective presence around us.  While this prayer is recited on funerals, it is actually an ideal source of learning how we must live a carefree life, because it is the ultimate Shepherd that is taking care of us all - His Lambs!

~ Spiritual Ray

“A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” (Psalm 23)

Peace Be With You

Happy Easter!!!

“Peace be with you.”

John 20:19

After his resurrection, Jesus entered a room full of frightened disciples who had been in hiding since his crucifixion and said, “Peace be with you (John 20:19).” These words were not a greeting, like saying good morning or good afternoon.  His words were a profound prayer and expression of hope.  Through these words Jesus was praying that the disciples would find peace.  They were words of assurance that he would be with them in the future.  They were a source of tremendous strength for the anxious disciples.

Jesus says, “Peace be with you” to us too.  As they were for the disciples, his words are a prayer for us, his sometimes panicky disciples, to be at peace with the assurance that he is with us.  His words also beckon us to do more than simply greet each other with hello or how are you.  Like Jesus, we are called to say “Peace be with you” to others as a prayer, as a declaration of our hope that the other person knows the presence of God in his or her life.

 

He Who Strengthens Us

 “I can do all things through Christ who 

gives me strength.”

Philippians 4:13

“The power we receive in union with Christ is sufficient to do his will and to face the challenges that arise from our commitment to doing it.  He does not grant us superhuman ability to accomplish anything we can imagine without regard to his interests.  As we contend for the faith we will face troubles, pressures, and trials.  As they come, ask Christ to strengthen you.”

~ Life Application Study Bible

Every Day We Need Jesus

 “God will meet all your needs...”

Philippians 4:19

“Not a day goes by that we’re not in need of God’s grace and peace.  Every morning we need His Spirit to fill us again, to strengthen us for what’s ahead.  Every day we need a fresh word that speaks to our hearts, to keep our focus on what’s important.  Trying to run this race of life without Jesus will do nothing but drain us dry.”

~ crosswalk.com

God’s Armor

 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take

your stand against the devil’s schemes.”

Ephesians 6:10-11

“Satan is constantly battling against all who are on the Lord’s side.  We need supernatural power to defeat Satan, and God has provided this by giving us his Holy Spirit within us and his armor surrounding us.  If you feel discouraged, remember Jesus’ words to Peter.  “On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Matthew 16:18)”

“Paul assures us that God’s mighty weapons - prayer, faith, hope, love, God’s Word, the Holy Spirit - are powerful and effective.” 

~ Life Applications Study Bible

God Works For Our Good

 “And we know that in all things God

works for the good...”

Romans 8:28

God works in “all things” - not just isolated incidents - for our good.  Evil is prevalent in our fallen world, but God is able to turn every circumstance around for our long-range good.  

Get a new perspective, a new mind-set on life.  Trust in God, look for security in heaven, not on earth; learn to accept, not resent pain and persecution because God is with you.”

~Life Application Study Bible

God Cares

 “Cast all your anxiety on him,

 because he cares for you.”

1 Peter  5:7

Like potatoes and cucumbers, worry and faith cannot coexist in the same heart. When worry is planted in the heart, it chokes out faith.

In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus tells us not to worry about what to eat or what to drink. He tells us not to be anxious about our health or about our clothing. God knows we need these things. If we seek God first, everything we need will follow.

Jesus wants to uproot worry from the garden of your heart. For this to be possible, He must pull out the weeds of worry, doubt, fear, and anxiety so faith can bloom. The same way a plant needs sunlight, water, and air to grow, we need to trust the Gardener of our faith with all the worries that come our way, knowing that He will provide the Sun of Righteousness, the Word of God, and the friendship of the Holy Spirit to nurture our growth.

Today, if you feel overwhelmed, turn your worries over to Jesus because He cares and He specializes in spiritual growth.

~dailybible.com