Bible Teaching

Calvary Temple Teaching Library

The 23rd Psalm

Amen. Aren't you glad for that strength? We couldn't make it in our own, could we? As Larry was singing, I was just meditating a little bit. Aren't you glad that the Good Shepherd of our souls, the Captain of our salvation, went before us and learned obedience by the things that He suffered? He's the prototype. He's been there. He's endured everything that you and I have or ever will go through, and was faithful to Father. Amen? We're not alone. We don't have a God that said, "Now, here's what I want you to do. I expect you to do this," and didn't do it Himself.

That should set an example for us as parents--shouldn't it?--As fathers. Are you willing to pay the price to pray and to study and to deny yourself? To choose the cross, so that we can just look at our kids and say, "This is the course, man? Look what it brings--peace, the presence of God." Ultimately, that victory that overcomes the world; praise God. It's just the presence through obedience that God's called us to.

Living to ourselves is so vain and so void of real peace and real joy. Then He brings us a peace, the Scripture says, that passes all understanding. It's evident to the world.

I think one of the great testimonies that we were able to bring back from Tennessee--I'm sure everybody here already knows we're so proud of our kids, the girls and the guys. The girls were runner up this year down there, second place, and have never finished outside the top four in any appearance that they've had down there--pretty amazing. We'll talk a little more about the sports and everything a little later tonight.

Actually, on Friday night at 6 o'clock in the gym, we're going to be having a banquet, and it's going to be recognizing some of the different accomplishments of the young people. We're thinking about maybe even going back a couple of years in the process and just recognizing some of the things that have been done. Friday at 6 o'clock we'll be having a good time of fellowship in the gym, and you'll want to be there. Different awards presentations and recognition that will take place. Honor to whom honor is due.

We want to recognize the coaching staff. I mean, these guys are phenomenal, man. What a brain trust! Six of them together make one brain. They've done a great job, man. Just tremendous in how they've worked together. The accomplishments couldn't have been accomplished without these men, without leadership and guidance and that wisdom. Just phenomenal.

Our guys have gone on and won the National Championship again, back to back, praise God. Next year will be a three-peat. Some great things that have taken place--quite an accomplishment. I don't want to get caught up in the specifics; we'll talk a little more about those tonight.

I asked the guys--I missed last year. I told the boys, "I won't miss this year." I refrained from going to the Gator Nationals to come and watch our boys. I told them if I don't go you'd better win. At the Gator Nationals, I missed the new Pro-stock world record. I missed the first bike to ever run in the sixes. A Harley ran a 699. First bike to ever run in the sixes in the quarter mile in Pro-stock; and it was worth it all, to see our boys and their character and the ministry that they had. I think the greatest testimony isn't the testimony of winning on the court, but I had a guy come up to me, as he was leaving the gymnasium. They had lost the consolation game, this man from the other team stopped, and he looked at me, and he said, "I just want to say something." He said, "We lost to the classiest organization here; you guys, and to the worst--these guys we just lost to." There was some real poor attitudes on and off the court in this other team that they were playing; but he said, "You guys are the classiest organization we've ever seen." He said, "This is amazing."

Another guy was blown away. He gets on his cell phone, and he's kind of like in secret (one of our people heard him say), "You won't believe it. These people have over a hundred people here." The Chattanooga team, local team, had six people. What a testimony of the parents, the supportiveness. Every one of our seniors had both parents there in Tennessee, watching their kids participate in their last event. What a great job, the Miuccios, the Fosters that were there, the Lawrences and just the support that takes place that is the testimony.

One of the great testimonies--our kids were down in the food mall, food court at the mall. Strange, that you would see some young people at a food court in a mall, but that's where they were. They were kind of wandering around, and this one lady walked up to them. Just randomly walked up to them and said, "You all know Jesus, don't you?" They didn't have their jackets on or anything. The response of the young person was, "Yes, we do; we're born again." This lady said, "I thought so. I sit in here and watch teenagers eight hours a day, every day, and you all are different. Just the way you walk and the joy, the peace, that's on your faces." Praise God for that, amen? We are the light of the world. This is an exciting thing to see that it's real. We take for granted, but we are different. We are a peculiar people. We're a people that are living in the midst of chaos and turmoil, that know where we're going, that have hope, praise God. That's the great testimony, and thank God that in the midst of all of that we were able to enjoy the fruits of the labors of the coaches and the young people.

I don't see Jim Kain. I think he works up with the kids some, but if somebody can remind him to bring--he wrote down what I stated to the kids the first day of practice, of what I wanted to see this year accomplished in our basketball program. We'd like to read that tonight. I believe we accomplished it through that testimony that we just shared with you, and some of the things that we'll share in testimonies tonight. The kids did a great job; we're just so proud of them. Their character, their productivity--both the guys and the girls; and myself, just as proud of all of the parents who went and supported their youth. You don't see a lot of it today and thank God for what Father's done in our midst in bringing us the greatest privilege, and that's family.

Let's turn to the twenty-third Psalm. We want to take just a little bit of time and look at this great psalm of David. One that we (many of us) learn as children. All of professed Christendom familiar with this psalm; yet very few experiencing the real declared promise that David's sharing with us here--a man who knew joy and a man who knew hardship. David, a man just like Job, who experienced and knew that the Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord. Amen?Many of you, as Larry said, are going through trials; but do you believe this morning that the Lord does all things well? We're not a people that are subject to fate. Things don't just happen to us. "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way." (Psalm 37:23) Even the things that we would perceive as bad, the Good Shepherd works for good. Amen? He takes those things that are hard in our life, and He turns and works everything for good. "...All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28) God has a plan for your life. Do you believe that this morning? We're not just wandering. God has a plan. We're on a course, and the steps of the good man are set right by God. God will always bring you back to the course that He has for your life.

I don't know about you, but that brings great confidence to me, because I get messed up. I get sidetracked sometimes; do any of you? I get sidetracked, man. I see something cool, and I want to go over and look at it, man. Hey, that's cool! I'm supposed to be going somewhere, but I'm distracted.

For you ladies, slim chance it could be a pair of shoes. You're walking through the mall, and you're going, and you are on course. You've got something that you've got to do, and all of a sudden, the over-compelling force of the four letter word, SALE, and there we are. We get distracted in life by temporal things, by things that are appealing to our fleshly appetites. Things that are natural to us, things that we have to do, eating, sleeping, work. All of these things, and we can get distracted by the most mundane.

Father's patient with us. He's not the parent that will just come up, and for the least bit of delay, or whatever, slap you up side the back of the head, "Come on, Boy." Some kids, it takes them years to figure out their name isn't Boy. "Come on, Boy." God is patient because every distraction, if left alone, would actually destroy us. God instructs us and strengthens us and refines us. All things work together for good to those that love God and will let God love them; and the Lord chastens those that He loves. In the process, there is the chastening that takes place.

Sometimes the chastening is just the grief that we fail God. "Man, I could have--here I'm wasting this time and energy on myself, and I could have been serving in the Kingdom. I could have been using it for the glory of God!" It brings a remorse and a brokenness. It doesn't take cancer, and it doesn't take destruction of our family; and it doesn't take the burning of our homes or whatever. It only takes that look, just like Jesus gave Peter that day. Just that gaze upon us of momentary displeasure. "I broke the heart of the one who loved me, who died for me. The one who was made sin with my sin that I might be made righteous with His righteousness; and here I am over here consuming this upon myself." Doesn't the Scripture say, "He guides us with His eye"? Just that little look. Sometimes it's a look of displeasure, disappointment.

Doesn't that get to you, when someone that you love gives you that look? Someone that you respect gives you that look? Just kind of, "Man, disappointed." For the tender heart, the one that really wants to please God, it crushes you. It's just like a blow from the rod.

In reality, the way we respond to that look indicates the degree of our love and respect and honor for His lordship. I think in all of our lives it varies; it cycles. Sometimes we can be led with the eye, and sometimes we need the rod of reproof. It can't just be a word of instruction, but the rod of reproof, and our lives are jolted.

David, the young psalmist of Israel, who just loved God and sat out without any responsibilities in the wilderness. How cool is that, man? You've got all these older brothers. You're the youngest guy. You're out there watching the sheep, and you're content. You believe, "This is where God put me, man!" You whip out your guitar and your amp; and you're out there just singing praises to the Lord with your stringed instrument, worshipping God, watching the sheep. The stars that are out there in the Middle East, at times, in the wilderness areas where he was, you could almost reach up and touch them. That's why Abraham was so awed when God said, "Look to the stars, and as many as there are, that's how I'm going to bless you, the seed of your being."Here's David, and he's out there. Life's pretty cool when you don't have any responsibilities but just the sheep. He was mocked by his brother (you remember) when he came to the camp. Goliath was down there, and he said, "Who's watching those few sheep? What are you doing? Who do you think you are?" "Dad sent me up here with some provision for you, and I've got things taken care of; and I came up to do my job. What's going on?" "See that guy down there?" "Yeah." "He's defying Israel." "Well, why doesn't somebody go fight him? What's happened to King Saul? King Saul's head and shoulders above anybody else in the nation. He's a bad dude. Has he gone down there?" "Nah, dude's hiding in his tent." What was the problem with the nation and all of their warriors? They'd been to VMI. They'd been to West Point. They'd been to Annapolis. They'd learned how to fight with men's weapons, and they knew there was no hope for them.

This little kid that was hanging out there just singing praises to God. The guy that didn't fellowship with men but fellowshipped with God in the wilderness, was the one that understood who it was that framed the worlds and hung the stars, and the breadth of His hand encompassed the universe; and He held the seas in the palm of His hand. He said, "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that would defy the armies of God?" He didn't take it personally. He said, "This guy's defying God. Somebody needs to do something here. If none of you will go, I'll go." We have a volunteer here; put all the armor on him. They put Saul's armor on him, and it looked like some little kid dressing in his dad's clothes.

My brother one time in Little League--we went to this game, and my brother was a great pitcher. He had control, man, I'm talking... he did unbelievable stuff. At first, I thought he was lucky, but nobody's that lucky. I'm talking about stuff like he could take a ball and turn that light switch off over there. Whatever he looked at he could hit--great control. He won a lot of money one time at one of the races at Bonneville. They were out in the--used to sleep--this was in the olden days before all that stuff. You could travel in motor homes and actually sleep in the back of the pickups. Where they hung out at Bonneville was a place called Windover. They would actually sleep in the dump there. My uncle would actually make money betting off of guys, that my brother throwing rocks at tin cans, and how many he could knock off and all this kind of stuff. They were having a good time, but he was accurate just like David with his sling.

One day we came to this game, and my dad came in, was a little bit late for some reason; I can't remember what it was. We got there. The game, it hadn't been going on long, and my brother had walked the first two guys. My dad goes, "What in the world's going on here?" (Dad was very patient with our lack of performance.) My brother's out there on the mound. He's eleven years old, and he's out there on the mound. He'd take his wind-up, and it looked kind of different; and he'd be like this. Finally, he gets out of the inning, luckily, and he comes running off the field. He wanted to be like dad, so he put on my dad's sliding pads.

Now, in the old days the sliding pads weren't cool like today. Now, they're like a pair of briefs that you pull on, and the padding's in them. In those days, it was just two big pads that look like hot pads that you'd use, ladies, in the kitchen with a string around them; and you'd just tie them here, and they'd just kind of flopped around. They'd hang here over your hips for when you were sliding. Well, he had had dad's on; they didn't fit. They came clear past his knees, and he couldn't lift his legs up. He wasn't proven.

David said, "I can't wear these things; they don't fit. I'm not proven. I don't know how to use these. I only know two things. I know the power of the name of the Lord." He grabs his five smooth stones. People wonder why five. Was he afraid he was going to miss? No, Goliath had four brothers, take care of the family, man, anybody that would defy the household of faith.

Do you know who your Father is? Watch the progression of this young man. Here he is a young man without any responsibility, without any trust in the arm of the flesh. He just knows God. He has nothing to prove. He's just out about his Father's business. Called of God? Yes. Separated of God? Yes. Recognized of men? No. Nobody knew who David was but David. David had no confidence in the flesh at this time.

The way that you and I get in trouble is when we begin to compare ourselves by ourselves. We begin to believe the praises of men that tell us how great we are. As we entered this contract with God with nothing, we now begin to take things to ourselves that we're afraid of losing, and we're in the same bondage as the world.

How do we live free? With a sole purpose of honoring God in our obedience and the constant declaration of His greatness. The sweet psalmist of Israel--how do we live a life that is just full of praise and thanksgiving to God without all of the distractions of life? How great to come from the open fields to destroy the enemies of God, in contrast to living in the palaces and defiling ourselves with our neighbor's wife. Becoming an adulterer and a murderer, a traitor, and a betrayer of the closest of friends, because of the abundance of life.God's wanting to protect us from these things. Even to the extent that David came off course, God loved him. God judged him-took his baby. In the midst of that, what do we do? Do we now judge God? Do we now come to the place where we believe and declare that God isn't just, and this isn't fair? Or do we realize that in our distraction, God has taken this thing and turned it for our good and redirected our eyes back to the simpler times? Now, he says again, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Make me that young man again that sings praises to you. Make me that young man again that doesn't sit in the palace and let others fight for me, but go out and put my hands to the task and defy the enemies of God. Let me go serve instead of be served." "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.." (Psalm 37:23)

Where are we in this process? We're all somewhere in this process, because it happens to every one of us in one degree or another. It may not be material things. It doesn't have to be those things that distract you. It could be in your pursuit of relationships. It could be in your pursuit of your vocation, or whatever, and the contentment that you receive in that. In recreation, whatever it is that's self-serving and fulfilling the natural. In the midst of this, Father visits you now and the question is are you going through some kind of a trial? Do you feel dry in your spirit? Are you discontent? Are you fearful? Are you battling physical ailments? In the midst of all of this can you just say, "Hey, God's good, praise God, and His mercies endure forever. The steps of a good man are ordered by God; and I delight in where I find myself today. His ways are higher than my ways."

David writes in this twenty-third Psalm, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." Do you find yourself wanting anything today, lacking? Are you discontent? You see, want isn't just--want is not a need. I shall not want. What he's saying is, "I am absolutely satisfied; I'm content." The biblical principle, "Godliness with contentment is great gain." I am anxious for nothing, as the Scripture says. My God is supplying all of my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. I'm seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and everything that pertains to life and godliness is being added unto me daily.

Do you find yourself there? Is your trust and your boast in Jehovah Ra-ah, the Lord our Shepherd? Now the word "shepherd," the word shepherd or pastor, in the Greek, we know that the word is poimaino, and it means to feed and to lead. Not only are we being led by God, we're being sustained by God. He's given me everything that pertains to life and godliness. Everything that you and I need to be successful today, God is supplying for you right now. You don't have to get it; it's here. It's working in you. The real issue is this--are we letting it work? Are we letting it come to fruition? Are we learning what's supposed to be learned in the midst of this endeavor, whatever it is? If it's a trial--maybe we're having to learn how to deal with success. Our kids just had some great success. Success is one of the toughest things to deal with. Some of you are saying, "Boy, I'd like to find out some time." Take it from those of us who have never failed. It's tough! It's a difficult thing. How are you dealing at this time with where God has you in life? The Lord is my shepherd. He's guiding me. He's leading me into the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

Turn over to Proverbs for just a second. You know that proverb that we're all very familiar with, but I think it's important for us to look at it again. In Proverbs 16, When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him [verse 7]. Better is little with righteousness than great revenues without [being] right. In other words, without letting God be the source of it, what we've done through natural wisdom. Why are people such suckers for those infomercials, and stuff that are on all the time on TV? Everybody wants something for nothing. I want to tell you something. Listen to me! Those guys didn't get rich off this scheme they're trying to sell you; they're getting rich off selling you on the scheme. You can't con an honest man. You can't entice someone who's not covetous. You cannot bring a man to anxiousness who is content in God. As we're anxious for nothing but in everything through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving we ask God, "Is this what you want me to do?"

We're in a world, in a day, when everything is moving so fast; and we're being seduced and solicited into, "this will satisfy you, and this will satisfy you; and this will make you great." Do you believe that God has you right where He wants you?

Now, things never move fast enough for us. We were in Tennessee. The ladies came and told Greer, they said, "We're dressing up for the game," and all the coaches were going to dress up. Greer wanted to be with them on the bench, so she said, "Well, we were going to go home, and it didn't work out for us to get home, so we came directly here." The ladies all looked really nice, and Greer had her Harley stuff. We were going to have all of these ladies in their nice suits, and Greer with her chains hanging off and Levi's and temporary tattoo on, so it just didn't fit. As much as Greer hated it, I insisted that she go to the mall and buy some new clothes. Now, she didn't want to, "Oh, no, please, not that." We go to the mall, and we're in a hurry. We have to go to the mall. Get this. In twenty-five minutes, we need slacks, three tops, shoes, belt. We're in Tennessee, Ya'aaaallllll. I mean, they ring stuff up on the cash register like...we got to go, man! I'm used to Tyson's Corner. These people are not in a hurry about anything, man.

We get moving at such a pace. We get so uptight, and everything is in such a tight schedule; and it comes over into our spiritual lives. We're to be anxious for nothing. God's got this thing under control, man. He's our shepherd. He's leading us to the place He wants. There's a time when He wants you (as we're going to see in a minute in the Psalms) to just sit down, be quiet, rest, get refreshed; and you're bringing more glory to God in fellowshipping with Him than you are working for Him.

The wise man says that "it's better to have little with righteousness." God is the source (getting it properly) than great revenues without being right. A man's heart deviseth his way...that word "devise" in the Hebrew means we create inventions, we come up with ways.

I don't know about you, but I've always got an idea about something. That will work. This should work. Let's try that. Don't tell me you can't do it. There's a way to do everything. You just have to take a minute and think about it. "A man's heart [based upon on treasures, we devise our ways. We come up with schemes of how we can obtain whatever our will happens to be for the moment.] ...but the Lord [the Scripture says] directeth his steps." I love this, and we've shared it with you so many times--directs, sets right. In other words, our schemes, our ideas, we're going to get messed up. We're going to get off course, but God's going to set us right. Do you believe that? I have that confidence.

I've learned that over the years, and because of that, I don't get so devastated by my failures. Don't you hate to fail? Some of us hate to fail because of pride. That's one of the reasons I hate to fail, but I really don't like letting the Lord down, man. When I mess up--You know, I used to be so works-oriented that I would really get down on myself about it. You try to work harder. Everything contrary to the grace teachings that we have become familiar with in the last years, of how to really believe the love that God has to us; that He will never leave us nor forsake us. The Scripture makes it so clear to us that by grace we're saved, that acceptance in the beloved. There's no longer a need to perform but just to relate.

When you do blow it, 1 John says you confess your sin, and He's faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you from all of your self-will, your unrighteousness. There's a confidence that God can put us back on course. He not only puts us back on course, but He takes our failures and works them for good. He'll build character in us. He brings us revelation. He strengthens us. He gives us now a hatred for the things that we used to think we wanted. We've tasted them, and it became gravel in our mouths, that which we thought we had to have and that which we wanted. As a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pities us.

I was sharing with the guys just not too long ago, one of the things that--you know, it could be your children. You might have an adolescent, and you just--you can't believe it. We've shared with you that they're not totally wired up yet, and they just don't get it sometimes. We've talked about it being genetics.

I shared the story with you about us shooting all my mom's knickknacks off the shadow boxes. We weren't bad kids. That was not malicious. It was just absolute ignorance. Now, you pay for your ignorance even though it wasn't malicious, but it just seemed to be the thing to do at the moment. It was a rainy day. We're sitting inside. We got our BB guns. We can't use them outside. After the first one, it was just all over; it was so cool, man. It was like--hmmmm--so we just shot them all. See, you ought to be thankful for your children that they're not me. You ought to wake up everyday and say, "Lord, thank you for this idiot that you gave me that it's not Pastor; I don't think I could live through him." No, I've heard some stories about some of you all and your kids, so, no, you're worse.

He's setting right our lives. We're learning. We're maturing. One of the things that we're learning in this process is that our relationship with Father is not a performance-oriented relationship. He loves us. He's not going to send you back to the start. He's going to take you where you are and put you back on course.

The Scripture here is saying--look what it says! "Better is a little with righteousness [or in right standing with God]..." We learn. You know what? The greatest riches are the presence of God, to know that I'm in the will of God, to know that I am on the right path; this is where my contentment is, in my godliness. What a great lesson to learn.

Proverbs 19:21, says, "There are many devices in a man's heart [ideas/projects, but]; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand. The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar. The fear of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath [that fear] it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil."

"The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want" (Psalm 23:1). I'm not going to be without. I'm not going to have less than I need. I'm not going to have less than will bring glory to God. I may have less than others, but I have exactly what God wants me to have. Is the Lord your shepherd, and you shall not want? That word "want" in the Hebrew here means I lack for nothing. Many of us are saying, "I lack a lot of things." Who's wrong, you or God?

The Bible says, "we have all things that pertain to life and godliness." (2 Peter 1:3) "No good thing will He withhold to those who walk uprightly" (Psalm 84:11). As I seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, all of these things that the heathen seek are added to me, for my Father knows that I have need of these things. Is the Lord your shepherd, or are you setting your own course? Do you have your own standards? Do you have your own Global Positioning System (GPS)? I had to think for a minute because GPA was starting to come out. I never had one of those either.

We had a cool GPS. I got so mad at it in Florida. I ripped it off the dashboard and threw it in the back of the motor home as we were driving down the road. I'm very patient at times. I'm following this GPS. We put it in; we're following it. I know where to turn; GPS didn't say turn there. I passed a sign that said, "Turn." GPS said, "Go straight ahead." I thought, "Hey, this thing knows a shortcut." I ended up in South Carolina; I was supposed to be in North Carolina. As soon as we passed the border, I ripped it off the dash with patience and in good attitude and absolute control and sobriety.

Are you trusting in the GPS, the man's methods, and your own perception? The Lord is our shepherd. Amen? He instinctively, we instinctively know. His sheep know His voice, and another they will not follow. I shall not want. If you come this way, you won't lack. If you come this way, you'll have what everybody else has. If you do it this way, guaranteed, that you'll...Over here is another voice, a still small voice behind us. It's saying, "This is the way; walk in it. Choose the cross. Choose to deny yourself. Choose the foolishness of My death, and identify with that; and you shall not want, for no good thing will I withhold." That means if I don't have it, it's not what?--a good thing. Say it with me! "If I don't have it, it's not a..." "Looks good to me." No, and if you insist on having it, God will let you; and then He'll have to work it for good because it isn't good. It will defile you. It will weaken you. It will distract you. If God wanted you to have it, He would be the source.

Is the Lord your shepherd, or are you following the crowd? Are you following all of the natural? Do you understand the vacuum that's in the world today of the spirit of antichrist, of worldliness? Do you understand what's being sucked into this thing?

I didn't really have the opportunity, and I don't like to force things, so just waiting, but in the particular, the camp that we were in down there, this event that was going on. It just grieves your heart because this man gets up, and he has a list of rules this long, and nobody follows them. They get up and preach righteousness and propagate hypocrisy. Virtually, nobody down there tells the truth because of this compulsion to try to have to win and gain some kind of self-worth through a performance. The world is just compromising.

When we were in Florida, Greer and I were riding down the freeway, and I pointed the church out to her that I told you about where a guy said that, "that message won't build this church." The one that has the escalators that go up to the balcony. Last time I talked to him, and this was quite a few years ago, and the overrun on the budget at that time I think was fifteen, eighteen million dollars or whatever. The man sat there with me and tears rolling down his face, and he said, "I know that what you're saying is right, but it won't pay this mortgage."

Now, if that's where the preachers are and the leaders, where are the flocks? How many churches today have men standing in their pulpits and looking at their congregations and saying, "No, you live that way and say you're a Christian?" The parents aren't hearing no. The children aren't hearing no, and we're all convinced we're right with God. We're all convinced that because we have success. The world recognizes our success. The church recognizes our success. We have buildings. We have money. We have good reputation. We're not offending everybody. Everybody likes us. Jesus was a nice guy, and this vacuum, this black hole that's just sucking everything into it.

The issue this morning isn't really where are we, it's who are we following. The Lord is my shepherd. "You know, I seem to be doing okay. My life seems to be in pretty good shape. My family seems to be in decent order." That's not the point. Who are you following? Where are you going? What is this path that you and I are on? It's not a broad way. It's not a--this is a straight and narrow path. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. I will not lack.

Another good way to say this. This isn't really what the word means, but this could be something that would help us out. Not only do we not lack (I lack for nothing), when we're content with what we have we will not want more. I don't want. I don't desire. Now, that's unnatural. We all, in our natural, we all want stuff. We want more stuff. I want to be... Some people, they want more--we have to sleep, but some people want to sleep. I hate sleeping. Does anybody else? Do you guys--I hate--what a waste of time. Man, you could be doing a lot of stuff. Now, I have to admit, right now I'd like to get a little sleep. We didn't get very much last night. We got--we finally got in bed at 1:30, and Greer woke me up at 4:00 A.M. not feeling well and wanting me to pray for her. It was funny. She said, "Aren't you going to pray for me?" I said, "I am praying of you; you just don't know it." I was. I was praying for her, but it was just like . . . It was the Spirit praying, and the flesh was weak.

Do you want, or do you WANT? We lack nothing. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. Let me just share one other thing as we finish for this morning's session. It's--we have to come to that place of understanding the providence of God. He is our provider. He takes care of us. Everything that need, we're just--we're His little children.

Kids are so cool, man. They just--it doesn't even dawn on them, the littler ones, they just expect it, man--to be provided for. Do you? "Well, I don't want to presume upon God." How do you presume on somebody who wants to provide for you, who desires to withhold no good thing from you as you're walking uprightly? I walk in life expecting everything that God wants for me and wanting nothing that He doesn't desire for me. Not a false humility of, "Oh, I just, no, I don't believe that I need; I don't want anything." I want what God wants me to have; don't you? Whatever God wants me to have, I want it. Whatever He doesn't want me to have, I don't want. I have no interest in anything that God hasn't given me.

Those are the things that we have to relate to and walk in, and it's so important that we understand that. This aspect of the providence of God, the Sustainer, He that opens the windows of Heaven and pours out blessings that we can't contain based upon what? What opens those windows? "Well, what opens those windows is the mathematical formula of tithing." That's not what opens the windows of Heaven. What opens the windows of Heaven is honoring God with your increase. What opens the windows of Heaven is worship and relationship.

I'll tell you one thing, and most of you here are tithers, but those--the reality of the curse of robbing from God, I mean, you cannot be blessed without seeking first to honor God with your increase. Most of us say, "Well, everything I have is the Lord's." Is it really? Can He have it any time He wants it? Is it being used to honor Him and to glorify Him? These are the things that we have to realize as stewards and those that are not owners that we're here investing for the glory of God. The providence of God--how do we see it? The manna that came out of Heaven--what do you think? Could it still happen?

When we pray, "Give us this day our daily bread," are we praying in faith? Our cupboards are full. The majority of us in our society--the fellowship here is a little different, but in our society, nobody cooks anymore. People order food in, and those that do cook (it's cool), the grocery stores even deliver it now. (Well, I figure if somebody's going to bring me my groceries, they might as well be cooked.)

Anyway, we're looking in our society where we are today. Give us this day our daily bread. Is God the source? Is He the shepherd? I shall not want. That's what I'm trying, this morning, to get us to see, that in all of our abundance and all of our increase, we have to go back to trusting God, to honoring God. It's so--for every one of us, it's so natural to have stuff that we forget who the source is. As children, they so naturally receive the abundance of parents and forget to be thankful. Let's not forget to be thankful. Let's not forget to recognize the source. Let's not forget that should we lose our jobs, should Safeway run out, we still have a Shepherd who can provide manna.

Do you believe that? We still have a Shepherd who can take the meal and the oil and multiply it. Jesus did not say it was possible. He just said, "Man shall not live by bread alone," but the temptation was, "Command that these stones be turned into bread." The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. I have no fear of lack. I have no fear of what the world is being tormented by today because the Shepherd will lead me into green pastures and cause me to lie down beside the still waters. He will restore my soul. Amen? He's going to bring that peace. He's going to bring that refreshing. He's going to bring that assurance. In the process, He's going to be the source.

We're going to talk a little bit more about providence of God tonight, the provision of God in every area of our life, for our healing. So many of us are missing out on the power today of God's presence to heal us because of all of the miracle drugs today. I'm not saying don't take the drugs. I'm saying just believe God. Amen? Let's seek God, and let's see Him glorified in our midst as He touches us. We don't need to be foolish, but we can't deny the Lord, our shepherd, the providence, His desire to minister to us spirit, soul, and body.

Father, we thank you for your Word this morning. In a world when most of us have our humanistic GPS set, help us to look to the Lord, our shepherd, that still small voice. The way that is foolish in the eyes of men is wisdom with God. Help us to learn about You Lord, that you are good, and that your mercies endure forever. Help us to walk with such a confidence that our children would know that no good thing does He withhold from those that walk uprightly. Help us to teach our babes to lift their eyes up and look to He-that-leads-us-into-all-truth, as we cast our care upon Him, knowing that He cares for us. As we lay down the burden of self-provision and become yoked with Him, for His burden is light, the easy yoke of God.

With a shepherd, I have no need to map out my day. I don't need to sit down and figure out what tomorrow brings. I go, and I follow the voice, "This is the way; walk in it." "Yeah, but what about next week? What about Thursday? What am I going to do on Thursday? I got to map out Thursday." There may not be a Thursday in your life--sufficient to the day. What does Father have for you? Janet would have been sixty-one today, but she didn't have a sixty-one. She didn't have a sixty. We had planned for years for sixty and sixty-one, and they never came because the Lord is my shepherd. Are you content in the voice of He who says, "This is the way; walk in it?" I'm not saying that you don't make provision, should the Lord tarry. I'm saying don't trust in the arm of the flesh and the wisdom of men but in the providence of God, because He will not withhold anything that's good for you. For that we say Thank you, Father, in Jesus' name.

Amen. Let's stand before the Lord this morning. As Gary plays for us just a moment, and I was trying to watch to see how many of you that went to Tennessee stayed awake through the whole service; but I was asleep, so I couldn't tell. I hope it brings you some rest this morning to know that you're right on course, right where God wants us. You said, "Man, but I feel like I'm messed up right now." Yeah, that's right where God wants you--realizing you're messed up. Now, He's going to set you right. Are you going to hear what He says to you today? He's the one that revealed to you you're messed up; you're too messed up to know you're messed up. When you realize you're messed up, you're on your way of not being messed up if you'll follow the very next admonition. You know that voice, and another you cannot follow. Let's sing it together. Oh, thank you, Jesus. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Holy, separate, unique, beyond comprehension, infinite, eternal, our Lord, our God, our Guide, our Friend, our Father which art in Heaven. Help us finish this course. Be honored in our lives we ask in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Before you go, turn to somebody next to you, say, "The Lord's my shepherd." Amen. Go in peace. God's love go with you.

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