July
29, 2003
THE
LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
"The
Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want" (Psalm 23:1, NKJV).
"He
makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside
the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in paths
of righteousness for His name's sake.
"Yea,
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
anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness
and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will
dwell in the house of the Lord forever" (Psalm 23).
"I
am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down his life
for the sheep. The hireling, when he sees the wolf coming,
abandons the sheep and runs away, because he is no shepherd
and the sheep are not his. Then the wolf harries the flock
and scatters the sheep. The man runs away because he is a
hireling and cares nothing for the sheep.
"I
am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep and my sheep know
me - as the Father knows me and I know the Father - and I
lay down my life for the sheep. But there are other sheep
of mine, not belonging to this fold, whom I must bring in;
and they too will listen to my voice. There will then be one
flock, one shepherd. The Father loves me because I lay down
my life, to receive it back again. No one has robbed me of
it; I am laying it down of my own free will. I have the right
to lay it down, and I have the right to receive it back again;
this charge I have received from My Father"
(John 10:11-18, NEB).
"I
have called you by your name, you are Mine." "I
have inscribed you on the palms of My hands." (Isaiah
43:1; 49:16). Jesus knows us all by name. He knows the very
house in which we live, and the name of every occupant. He
sympathizes with our weaknesses, He was tempted as we are,
yet without sin. "Let us therefore boldly approach the
throne of our gracious God, where we may receive mercy and
in His grace find timely help" (Hebrews 4:16, NEB).
"You
are My flock, my people, the flock I feed, and I am your God"
(Ezekiel 34:31, NEB).
|
