Bible Ballistics: BBs #245 My Personal Amplified Psalm 23!

This has been on my heart for several days and I’d just like to share it with you, for I know that many of you are going through trials and difficulties, as we all do from time to time. And as the Lord’s return approaches, they are intensifying, so I felt one of my favorite Psalms would be in order, with a twist from my own personal perspective. The Psalm will be in our usual green, my ‘amplification’ in black.

I pray that as I write this, it will meet your needs wherever you are, physically, spiritually, emotionally or in your familial situations. Look up, walk forward and press on with Jesus.

“The Lord

King of Kings–

Lord of Lords–

Creator and sustainer of the universe–

Lover of my soul–

The “ONLY” way–

The “ONLY” truth—

The “ONLY” life, blood bought at Calvary—

And because of Calvary the victor over death—

is my shepherd;

He belongs to me, He is MY shepherd—

Because I belong to Him through the cross—

 As He gave HIS life’s blood for the sheep—

My keeper—

My guard—

My teacher—

My protector—

My dearest friend–

I shall not want.

Because my God is watching over me—

He knows my needs before I do—

My heart is set on Him—

If it pleases my Shepherd, it pleases me—

Because He “loves” me—

I can trust Him and His tender care—

I can trust HIS perfect will in all things–

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:

He provides for my sustenance—

When I follow Him, all is well with my soul—

 His pastures (like His will) provide the best care—

In His pastures I can rest my weary soul–

he leadeth me beside the still waters.

His water is still so I can drink to the full—

His still waters will never overwhelm me—

His waters will never drag me down in the mire—

His waters are still for my nourishment–

my safety—

my security– 

3 He restoreth my soul:

My shepherd knows my soul need restoring—

He leads me to quiet places even in the storm—

His can restore simply by HIS presence—

If we’ll but seek Him—

If we’ll but listen—

 If we’ll but rest in Him—

 If we’ll but trust and believe—

 He’ll never send us out powerless–

He’ll never send us out unprotected—

he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

My shepherd leads my every step if I’ll go—

 My shepherd knows the way before me—

My shepherd gives me a lamp for my feet—

My shepherd gives me a light for my path—

My shepherd provides for my way at Calvary—

 His blood imparts His righteousness to me—

 I can walk in those paths because HE lives—

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

And we all will die physically—

But with my shepherd death is only a door—

A door that leads to “LIFE” for eternity with HIM—

And because of that—

I will fear no evil:

Because I belong to the Sovereign Lord of ALL—

Because the “joy of the Lord” is my strength—

Because I have “righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”- 

for thou art with me;

Just as He promised,

to never leave me—

to never forsake me—

              The indwelling Holy Spirit is in me—

He has come in to dine with me—

I can dine with Him regardless of time or place—

thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.   

       He is conforming me into the image of the SON—

       Whether in reproof or instruction He is there—

       He is working all things for my good—

       As HE conforms me to the image of Jesus—

       So I can take comfort in the discipline of God—

              Whether it’s instruction or correction—

              It will bring comfort to my soul–             

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:

When others may come against me, God knows—

God wants my responses to reflect HIS glory—

       God is weaving me into a tapestry of holiness—

       He IS doing HIS work IN me, HIS child—

       He often does His best work under duress—

       I can trust to HIS ways, public and private– 

thou anointest my head with oil;  

My shepherd will reveal that I am His—

       He will verify my work for HIM—

       He will identify me as HIS own—

       He will welcome me home, my real home—

       And because of ALL HE IS…..

my cup runneth over.

I am overwhelmed with joy and gratitude—

       The abundance of my soul bursts with love—

       His love that HE place within me—

       My fullness of joy affects everything around me—

       To lead others to know my wonderful Shepherd—

       And the results are always in HIS hands.

And the results of knowing and following my dear Shepherd are incomparable:

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.  Psalm 23

May you ever bask in the joy of this Shepherd who loves you and laid down His life for you? If you know Him, trust Him with it all—HE cares. If you don’t know Him, I pray that you will call on Him to today, in repentance and faith, believing that His perfect life sacrificed for you is sufficient to forgive and cleanse you of all sin. God bless your journey to HIM and with HIM! The choice is still yours.

Bible Ballistics: BBs #244     Our Hope And Assurance???

I want to share just a few words of encouragement for all of us this morning. As I sit here watching the sun come up in the East, I am reminded that even when we can’t see it come up, it is still there. And that is true of our God and our Lord Jesus Christ even more so. We may not always see Him in the things around us because of the clouds of grief, sorrow, difficulty, crises, panic or just the overwhelming issues of living in a world gone awry, but HE IS THERE! Always! Our God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—is there!

The Apostle John was exiled to the Isle of Patmos for his preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet in that desolate, barren and lonely place, I’m sure the enemy came to harass and remind him of the pain and difficulty he was facing “alone”, as well as questioning his trust in a God who would let him suffer. Yet in a seemingly hopeless situation John saw the LORD to whom he was devoted! Yes, in his extreme situation of suffering, John saw the LORD JESUS! And John helps us see the wonder of our Lord Jesus.

“John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; 5 And from

Jesus Christ,

who is the faithful witness,

and the first begotten of the dead,

and the prince of the kings of the earth.

Unto him that loved us,

and washed us from our sins

in his own blood,

6 And hath made us kings and priests

unto God and his Father;

to him be glory

and dominion

for ever and ever. Amen.  

7 Behold, he cometh with clouds;

and every eye shall see him,

and they also which pierced him:

and all kindreds of the earth shall wail

because of him.

Even so, Amen.  

8 I am Alpha and Omega,

the beginning and the ending,

saith the Lord,

which is,

and which was,

and which is to come,

the Almighty.” Revelation 1:4-8

John knew that the key to victory is to keep our focus on Jesus, His character, His promises, His presence and His glory. He is coming again, for us who are His own. We will rejoice while those who have rejected Him will “wail”! Without Him there is no hope, but when you know and belong to Jesus you can stand in the assurance of His eternal presence with us. Even as Paul reminds us:

“For I reckon that

the sufferings of this present time

are not worthy to be compared

with the glory

which shall be revealed in us.”   Romans 8:18

“For our light affliction,

which is but for a moment,

worketh for us

a far more exceeding

and eternal weight of glory;

18 While we look not at the things which are seen,

but at the things which are not seen:

for the things which are seen are temporal;

but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

Where are you looking? We simply must remember that while the trials are difficult, they are temporary. Even death is temporary for the believer. Our confidence and faith is in the one who was raised from the dead to impart “eternal life” to all who will believe in His atoning sacrifice through the blood that HE shed on the cross, to pay our debt! We serve the only risen Lord–Praise God for the empty tomb!!! And that empty tomb should remind us that He is our hope in all things, for He is ALIVE and with us through every circumstance—the good, the bad, and the difficult!

So, today remember– in the midst of your trial, trouble, weariness or grief—God loves you and the clouds will lift if you will but keep your eyes on Jesus, even when the clouds of life obscure the view, remember HE IS THERE!!!   

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith……..”. Hebrews 12:1-2a

And:

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” Hebrews 13:5-6

Fix your eyes on Jesus, and remember– we win!!!