The Shepherd of our soul

Psalm 23

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. (v. 1)

The twenty-third Psalm is actually a psalm of praise. One cannot help but rejoice in the Lord’s blessings as he reads this psalm. It begins with praise for the Lord and His provision, and reflects this theme all the way through the psalm. It is probably the most popular and oft-quoted psalm in the entire Book of Psalms. The implication of verse one is that “because the Lord is my shepherd…” because He is, and because He loves, “I shall not (have) want”. All my needs are met in Him. I shall not want for peace and tranquility; I shall not want for restoration and further leading; I will fear no evil, nor death; I will not lack for comfort. I will be at peace with my enemies, and even sit at meat with them; I shall know a special and unique anointing by God alone; my cup will overflow with good things that will sustain me, and I will enjoy much more than what is needed. I can be assured that goodness and mercy will be with me all the days of my life, never one time forsaking me, and I can rest in the this promise; and, last, but not least by far, I will have an eternal home in Heaven with the One whom I greatly adore, and Who also adores me, and I will dwell in His house forever and ever. Do you see what I mean? This psalm is filled with praise for what the Lord has done. What greater promise need we than the 23rd Psalm? There is only one condition here, and that is that the Lord must be your shepherd, yea, the shepherd of your soul. This is not for everyone; neither is it for just anyone, but for the chosen one, the child of God.

As David sat on a hillside tending the flock, I can see him penning these words. He was basking in the grace and comfort of faith in the Lord; perhaps he was meditating on what the Lord means to him, and how good He has been in his life. He had put himself in the place of the sheep, and was praising God from their point of view. There must have been a vast, green meadow for his sheep, as well as a river or stream trickling gently down the hillside; Probably he had just recently retrieved a sheep that had strayed away, and restored him to the flock; he may have led the sheep back carefully to the fold. Perhaps there was a potential danger there too, a wolf lurking about, on the outer fringes of the hills, and other beasts that roamed the hills, and fed on sheep, and the sheep would gather close to the shepherd. They know the shepherd cares, and that he will protect them, even if he has to live among them until the danger is gone. What a blessing for the sheep! What a loving Shepherd.














Psalm 23

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.” (v. 2)

When the Lord is our Shepherd, he sees to it that we are taken care of properly. We are His property, and He will take special care of His own. He gives us a peace that “passeth all understanding” (Phil. 4: 7); a peace in which we can rest beside still waters and dwell in green pastures. He removes fear of hunger; of danger; and settles our hearts on the fact that He will provide. Even more amazing is that He will lead us to the green pastures and still waters, so that we need not search for them ourselves. What a loving God we serve. All we have to do is follow. He supplies our every need, and we can bask in the tranquility of His loving grace. It is enough that He provides us with this comforting peace, but He goes beyond that, and leads us to it. I cannot fathom this kind of love and care. When He leads me to the green pastures, He maketh me to lie down and rest, as if I am completely and fully in His power, as well I hope to be; and when He discovers His still waters unto me, I rejoice greatly, and relax in Him, knowing that He is there, and I have no fear of wanting. In so doing, “He restoreth my soul” unto Him, and I am refreshed and made whole again; and I find Him leading in the great and lovely paths of righteousness, which lead to His Heavenly Kingdom (v. 3). These paths are narrow and hard to follow without His gracious leading, in fact, they are impossible to follow; But He leadeth; what a wonderful blessing bestowed upon us, to have the God of all Creation, of the Universe and beyond, to lead each of us, lovingly and gently along.

Are you aware of God’s leading, my friend? Has he led you into those blessed paths of righteousness? Have you walked with God? If so, you know the sweetness of His presence and the joy of hearing His voice; you have experienced the wonderment of His love and basked in the peace He freely gives, but if not, you miss out on too much in this life. The question I put to you now is “Are you walking with God”? Has your soul been restored unto Him? Oh, I hope so, I hope so for your sake, as well as for Christ’s sake, lest Calvary be wasted on you! Yes, if one would be so foolish as to turn His back on Calvary, then the cross was wasted in his life. Don’t let the great sacrifice of Christ be wasted in your life, accept Christ as your savior today and let Him lead you into paths of righteousness.

















Psalm 23

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” (v. 4)

Because the Lord is my Shepherd, and cares so deeply for me, I have no fear of death. Death is a valley for most people, a deep dark valley; a valley of despair and fear, but, praise God, it is not so for us! Death is only a shadow now, it has lost its gruesome death-hold on us, and is a mere shadow of what it was. Now, I can truly ask, with the apostle Paul, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Cor. 15: 55). Christ has literally wretched the victory from the hands of Satan, and passed that same victory unto us, and we live forevermore! I cannot walk this valley without Christ, for as soon as I enter its threshold, I am dead, having died in my sins; but with Jesus, oh, he is with me, I can do all things through Him, which strengthen me, even walk in this loathsome valley of death. There is comfort in His presence. There is peace, joy, love grace, and LIFE in Him, and we can endure this valley because He goes with us through it, and removes the “sting” of death.

Yea, even if death comes and nips at my heels as I walk, I have nothing to fear; If he breathes his fiery breath of death into my face, I can smile and continue on; even if he chides me and heckles me as I go, and taunts me until I want to scream… “thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” and I will prevail. Friends, I am on the winning side, but only because of Jesus. Take comfort in Him. Jesus is there for you. Most of us think we can take anything short of death if we have to, but with Jesus, we can even stand in the face of death. Against all odds, Jesus prevails. We would do well to hide ourselves in Him, thereby sharing His victory over death and hell. Be aware of the presence of Christ; it is a great comfort to know that he is there; whatever the trial, whatever the affliction, Christ is there with you; He will carry you through. When life is drudgery, and depression has you down, look up! Look up to Jesus, He is always there. He will never let you down when you fully trust in Him; he can’t; it is not in Him to do so, He honors faith. We walk through many valleys every day, but Jesus leads us out and there is a mountaintop ahead. Keep walking. Keep believing. Keep trusting in Christ, keep climbing that mountain of grace, and soar the lofty heights of eternity.


















Psalm 23

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.” (v. 5)

Our God will bring reconciliation to our lives. First, we are reconciled to Him, then with one another. There is growth when we walk with the Lord. Preparing a table speaks of communion with one another, sitting down together in a time of feasting. It speaks of finding acceptance with our enemies, and when we have exalted Him, he also exalts us.

Case in point: Daniel. He found great favor with the prince of the eunuchs: “Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.” Dan. 1: 9; consider also Joseph who God promoted to second man in Egypt (Gen. 39); God will give us the favor of men; even in Luke we see that Christ grew in favor with God and man (Luke 2: 52). In the paths of righteousness, we will find a table spread before us, and eat with our enemies. This is necessary because God has anointed our heads with oil, the oil of His Spirit. Once he has anointed His beloved, they are blessed indeed. Three big blessings are seen in this verse as a result of making the Lord our shepherd: He will make us to be at peace with our enemies; he will anoint us with a special anointing; and He will cause our cup to run over with blessings. The cup is also a symbol of communion, but more specifically, communion with our God. Our cup shall run over with the anointing oil of God; we shall be blessed beyond measure, we shall have a close communion with the Lord.

This is for the saved man, he who walks with God daily and communes with Him regularly. This is the man that prays without ceasing, and that makes his body a “living sacrifice”…he is the one who makes the Lord his Shepherd, and sees the promises and blessings of God poured upon him. This is the sheep that abides in His Word, and is a disciple indeed, because he abides in Him, and the Shepherd knows him by name. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow him, as two friends that are always there to lend a hand, never leaving him alone, and he shall dwell in the house of the Lord…forever.



















Psalm 23

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. (v.6)

This lovely psalm brings great joy and comfort to me every time I read it.
I find it disheartening though, that it is so often used only in funeral services today. It is a psalm for life, not for death! It offers comfort in the storm, and peace for the troubled soul, and yes, it is comforting when one has lost a loved one, but we need to realize that it is not solely a funeral dirge, it is a refreshment for our souls.

To me, the most comforting part, perhaps, is the last verse; there are two angels that follow us everywhere we go in life, they are Goodness, and Mercy. Goodness is there to bless us in all our endeavors for the Lord; Mercy is there when judgment comes, in any form, and he intercedes on our behalf. Thank God for these two “angels.” We could not make it through one day without the goodness of God, and definitely would not last long without mercy. We need them both, and God knows we do, and He provides that need. “Surely” they shall be with us, as surely as God’s Word. Which is the most value to us? It is hard to say. We need them both. As you walk through life, and go about your day, be aware that these two gentlemen follow you, and they are there for you, every moment, every day, and in all your ways. They do not lead, but follow, to help us out of the mischief we find, though we are often led into it of our own volition.

The Lord is so gracious in providing these for us. He is, of course, the Shepherd of the psalm, but He has appointed helpers, not for Him, but for us, to help us along the way. Every time we read, or hear this psalm, let us render our thanksgiving to the Lord of the psalm, and praise Him for His great provision on our behalf, and when trouble comes our way, remember these two blessed friends, they will see us through.

There are 27 pronouns in this short passage, and 17 of them refer to the “sheep” while only 10 refer to the Shepherd. One can easily see that the Lord loves His Sheep, and that we are foremost in His thoughts and heart.



















Psalm 91

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” (v. 1)

This chapter is a chapter of great promises. Only those who have found His secret place, whether it may be a place of prayer, or a place of praise, or simply a closeness to Him (as the next few verses imply), only these may know the very sweet and special promises that we read about here. Yes, there is a secret place with God. Is it a secret from you, my friends? It should not be. Only they that find this secret place will dwell under the shadow of the Almighty. These can truly say that the Lord is their refuge and they are content to seek haven in Him. The promise is first for deliverance, but what type of deliverance? Protection from the “noisome” or “destructive” pestilence, or diseases; from those plagues that seem to go around and cripple the mainstream of society; not only that, but from the “snare” of the one who lies in wait to ambush or entrap us. A snare is a trap; a wily ruse set to catch us in its clutches to either ruin our testimony or destroy us altogether. We are promised to have the foresight and discretion to avoid these pitfalls of life. We will not fear the darkness nor the evil that lurks there waiting to pounce on us at the first chance it gets; Neither should we worry about the bullets and arrows that take lives so randomly as we go about our business. We shall see the plight of the wicked (v. 8) and see his downfall, as he seeks to trip us up. Because we make the lord our refuge, we shall see no evil (vs. 9, 10), and we will have the angels to watch over us. What a blessed promise. As you read through these passages, believe them! Much is lost because of unbelief.

The last few verses seem to be the Lord talking, and sum up His promises to us. He promises to hear us when we call upon Him, and not only that, but He promises to answer us, that alone is a very worthy and precious promise. He promises to be with us in trouble, not necessarily to keep us from it, but to go through it with us, as a father might go through deep waters with his child, and hold unto his hand, but He also promises to deliver us from some of it. I need not go on and explain these things, for you are able to read them for yourselves, but I wish to excite you more to believe them than to merely read the words. God is there for us, always, and forever.


















Isaiah 53

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (v. 6)

This verse has a story behind it: It is said that as D. L. Moody was boarding a train while rushing to his next speaking engagement, a man asked him how he might receive Christ as his Savior. Mr. Moody, being very much hurried, did not have the time to disembark the train and talk to the fellow, so he told the young man to Look up Isaiah 53:6, and enter in at the first “all” and come out at the last “all”. If we will take Mr. Moody’s advice, we too will find the salvation of the Lord, freely given to all men. This verse says it all. We are as sheep, who stray by nature. They need to be led.

Our Lord saw us as sheep, scattered among the hills. He knew that we were in danger of being ravished by a lion or a bear or wolf, but he knows too that he is our strength against such peril. We need to lean upon the Lord. He was despised, and at times we are too; He was smitten, as we will be; He was rejected and so are we; He was our healing balm. (vs. 3 - 5)

The 53rd chapter of Isaiah, though a prophetic chapter, depicts the plight of Christ and mans attitude toward Him. Because of sin, we are not drawn to righteousness, as seen in this chapter. It is no wonder that man crucified the Savior who is the epitome of right and the holiest of the holies. We, from a wicked heart, will produce wicked actions; we all have rejected Christ at sometime in our lives, either by direct will or by our evil deeds.

Note that, as we are like sheep, He takes on the form of a lamb. The lamb “mothers” the sheep, and cares for them with all her heart. (v. 7) Jesus loves us like a mother loves her siblings. He “bore” us, as a woman in labor, and, spiritually speaking, he loves us because He suffered for us. All this for the transgression of his people, (v.8). We stray away as lost, and lowly sheep, but as a mother lamb, our Lord seeks us out, and brings us back. He knows the danger we could face, and keeps us close by His side.















Ephesians 6

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (v. 11)

This is the warrior’s chapter. We fight against unseen forces—forces of evil. Ours is a spiritual warfare, and has to be fought on a spiritual front. We know that we cannot fight the fight of faith on our own; we need the armor of God for our defense and the sword of the spirit for attacking. We need the power of God in our lives. This armor, however, ought to be worn daily, indeed, every moment of every day, for we know not when the adversary may attack us.

Around our loins we are to cleave to the Truth. This keeps us from being distracted. The breastplate of righteousness protects our heart from the emotions that will assume themselves upon us and cause us to be less effective in battle. We should always walk in “gospel boots” and carry the truth that we embrace to others. Boots protect the feet, lest we are hindered in our maneuverability. Faith is a shield for us, to quell the arrows that would pierce our hearts, and the helmet of our salvation protects our head from fatal thoughts. These head wounds can be critical to the war-faring soldier. We carry with us a sword, a double edged sword, that pierces even to the dividing of the soul and the spirit, and the joints and the marrow. (Heb. 4:12). It discerns between the thoughts and intents of the heart. This Mighty Sword is our only weapon, but it is all we need. We are well defended against Satan’s attacks, but we need also to be prepared before we face the enemy. This preparation is prayer. (v. 18). Without the prayer, we are ill-equipped to face the enemy of the soul; our armor would have a “chink” in it without prayer. As we don the armor of God, we need to saturate it in prayer, and as we advance to the front lines, we should wear it as a cloak over all our armor.

A warrior is a weakling without the armor of God. A champion is a defeated man unless he dons the armor. One piece is not enough, for too much of him is left exposed, he needs the whole armor, as well as the God of the armor. There is no use going through this life without the Lord, we are defeated before we start, we are all nothing but dead men without Him.
















John 3:16

Eternal Love

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”.

“For God so loved” the eternal words for mans eternal destiny. The love of God is indescribable, but proven by His actions. This verse is the Gospel in miniature; it is the most oft-quoted, and perhaps the most profound verse in the Bible. In it we find not only the key to eternal life, but the wondrous love of an amazing God, and the potency of that love. Love is only seen by the sacrifice it prompts. Here we see the ultimate sacrifice prompted by ultimate love. A young boy asks his Sunday School teacher “Why does God love me?” and the teacher cannot explain it to him in an understandable way. Why does God love any of us? None can adequately answer that question. The love of God is a part of Him, as the Scripture says, “God is love.” Again I say, love is seen through sacrifice. Don’t tell me you love me if you are not willing to sacrifice something for me. Don’t tell that wayward child that you love him if you are not willing to go all the way with him through any trial, and many heartaches. There is only one kind of love that does that, and that is God-love.

One cannot emphasize enough how precious this love is. It is a redeeming love, a restoring love; a love that builds and makes strong; a love that is not swayed by circumstance or unaffected by pomp and the glory or criticisms of men. It is a love that is freely given and is sufficient for every, and any need; a love that transcends all loves, and overcomes all obstacles. It is an amazing, fantastic, total love. The word “so” describes it as indescribable; how much is “so much”? We tell our children we love them “so much” and extend our hands outward from the sides, just as Jesus did on the cross. He loved us “so much”, and stretched His hands out, and nailed them to a cross. In that position He died, to remind us how much He loved us. God loved us “so much” that He masterminded the plan, and sent His only begotten Son to die in our place. Greater love hath no man than this…

God so loved whom? The world. Not the earth and the grass and the water, but mankind, those who make it a world. He loves us all, “so much” that he is willing again to give the ultimate gift, and make the ultimate sacrifice. He loves us all, whether we love Him back or not. What an amazing God; what an amazing love. He died for us all, and not merely the elite. He provided the same gift of life to everyone, and showed no partiality. Love is like that; God is like that.













Immeasurable Love

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”. (John 3:16)

“God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son…” Not that He gave a Son that was one of many; nor did He give a Son that was worthy of death, as some might. He gave the best. He gave His only begotten, the only one He had, and will ever have. He gave His greatest love, the dearest thing to His heart, His only Son. He gave perfection for imperfection. We were so important to Him that he gave the life of His bosom, the very blood of Himself. The words “only begotten” are important because there were no daughters either! Jesus was the only child of God; now, through Him, we too are children of God.

Some say that man has a soul, but the Bible says that man is a soul. The Book of Genesis says that God breathed into man the breath of life, and man became a “living soul.” (Gen. 2:7). Man does not possess a soul, as some imagine, but he is a soul, a precious, living, breathing soul. A soul is a precious thing to the Lord who created it. It was worth dying for. Even more, it was worth giving for. God both gave, and died for us, He did it all. Yes, God sent His Son, He gave His life, then He died Himself on the cross, and all for the price of a soul. He sent; He gave; He died, in that order, and all for you and me. This is the creature that God loved, and still loves. Oh that we might know that God loves us, and how that ought to stir our hearts for Him. Dear soul, know that God loves you “so much” that he is willing to do whatever it takes, and pay the utmost price for your restoration and redemption. You are worth it to Him. In a sense, you are worth more to Him than the life of His Son was, and that was proven at Calvary. If I may be so bold to say it, God cares more for us than He did for Jesus it seems, but not really, because now He has Him and us! Yes, He has Jesus, and he has us too, the off-spring of Jesus. It is a win-win situation with God. He gave life that we might gain life.

Only the fool of fools would reject the love of God. Love bestowed is love received, at least to the wise hearted. Love responds to love, it is a fact of nature. God first sought us out, and loved us before we were ever born, and those of us who see this love will love Him in return. The great love of God is there for us, but what will we do with it? That is a decision that we all must make on our own.














Believing Love

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

“For God so loved the world…that whosoever believeth in him…” But not only those that believe were loved by Him, but the entire “world”. Some teach that Jesus died for “the elect” or only for those that would receive Him as savior, whom He foreknew, but He died for all mankind, including the elect. He provided a “way of escape”(1 C0r. 10:13), for all men to escape the tragedy of hell. It is there, but not all will respond to it. He gives eternal life, available to all, but whosoever will believe in Him shall receive it without a doubt. God’s love produced this life, and freely gives it to all. It is not his fault if all do not receive it, in fact, it is His will that all mankind should be saved. This life, eternal, from an eternal God, is ours for the taking.

Love is an amazing thing. By it we are provided for in every aspect of life. God’s love is even more amazing in that it is freely given. Most of us expect some sort of favor for love bestowed, whether a simple “thank you” or a card of thanks, or a kind word tossed our way. Whatever we might expect, we are disappointed when we have shown an act of love to someone, and they spurn our love, yet we do this to God all the time, and amazingly, He loves us anyway! He does not become so disappointed in us that He quits loving, or seeks to take back what He has given. Yes, “The gifts and calling of God are without repentance” (Romans 11: 29). There is, however, a response required of us, and that is that we must believe.

There are certain privileges, however, that we have, that the “world” does not. For example; The indwelling Holy spirit. This is a great advantage to the children of God, even in every day life. There are promises that are given solely, and only to the Children of God, as well as certain and many blessings. There is eternal life. God’s love is universal, but He especially watches over His own. There is a “general love” which is the love for all mankind, His creation, and there is a “specific love” which speaks of loving His people especially, and in a special way. Actually though, His love is the same for all, but it is manifest differently in each of us. That is the amazing thing about the love of God, it is unique to each one of us. A good father does not love one child more than another, but he loves them differently, and that love manifests itself in different ways; God is an excellent Father, and He too loves us each uniquely and differently.














Miraculous Love

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (Jn 3: 16)

John 3:16 is probably the most quoted and most familiar verse in the entire Bible to children and adults alike, and yet do many ever take time to meditate on what it is saying? Do we attempt to analyze the verse and break it down to squeeze all the blessed fruit out of it? Probably the key word in this verse is “believeth”, at least that is the one word that allows us to find the gift of true life that is provided by Christ. Contrary to the prevailing opinions, “believeth” is the key word and the entrance into the realm of the Holy for us. You see, the verse has little to offer without the belief. God gave His Son to the entire world, even those who don’t seek Him, and who seem to care less of His comforting grace; He has provided the same love for them as He has for us. He is there for them too, but the difference is, they will not believe. I do not say they cannot believe, but that they “will not”. You see, belief is a definite act of the will. You choose to believe or disbelieve. We first must make up our minds to believe God, then we begin to put our belief into action. So, believing is a decision; a wise one, but still a decision.

Belief is a miracle worker. It moves mountains because it has the strength of faith behind it. Belief then is the determining factor as to whether we are saved or not. It is by grace that we are saved, but through the conduit of faith we receive the gift of salvation. You see, it is there already, just waiting for us to tap into it, and make a pipeline that leads directly to our hearts for it to travel through. It is there in Jesus. He is Salvation; He is faith; He is belief; he is everything we need; He is the One and only, everlasting life. The question for all mankind today and always is, “Will you believe?” Will you take Christ at his word, and accept Him as your sacrifice for sin? That is a decision we all must make, and it is the most crucial decision we will ever have to make. It is not a matter of life and death, but of eternity, and eternal life and death. It is a decision that follows us throughout our lives, and beckons us daily until we face it; it will not leave us alone until we decide to do the wise thing; the right thing.

Even after we are saved, and walking in the grace of His love, we can still be guilty of unbelief. We can never move mountains until we believe; we can be a child of God, but weak in faith, and for the same reason—we refuse to believe. Faith is not out of reach for us; it is not some high mountain that we are unable to scale; its there before us, ours for the taking. We have the Word of God to back it up; the words of God for support of it, and yet ye will not believe. Oh ye of little faith, will ye not make that decision today? Will you believe God and His Word? If so, there is nothing that you cannot accomplish for Him; no task is too large, and no chore too small for His glory. Take Him at His Word, and try Him, and see if it is not so.
Far reaching Love

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

The love of God spans the Heavens, and encompasses the earth. It is there, no matter what overtakes us, no matter how dismal our life may get; the Love of God is always there, afresh and anew. It remains firm against all oppressions and oppositions; the love of God is rock solid, and will not be moved. It stands when all else fails; it is the true master of all circumstances the strength of all prayer; the power of all good. It is the “charity” of 1 Corinthians 13.
Yes, the love of God is preeminent over all faults; all trials must succumb to His love, but we, as mere mortals, as sinful men made of dirt and clay, do not realize the full potential of His ever enduring love. To think that He would love a lump of clay is overwhelming to say the least; not only does He love us unconditionally, but He proves His love over and over again by giving. You see, giving is the proof of love. We give of ourselves when we truly love; man takes love, and holds it in his bosom, but God gives it. To be God-like we must learn to give. We must first take His love in, then give it out to others. We are takers, and He is a giver, but when His love is taken in, we too can become givers, and true lovers because it is “God-love”. “We love Him, because He first loved us” is the teaching of 1 John 4:19; if He had not loved us, we could in no way love Him. So, our love to Him is His love in us; it is also everlasting love; it is able to endure all grief’s and all hardships, and to come through unscathed and stronger than ever; it is an ever increasing, all consuming love. It is His gift of love to us, and no matter what we do, or where we go, we cannot escape the love of God. True and mature love gives (this is charity), immature love expects; we do not love others for what they do, but we love them because of the love in us. Friends, Heaven is run by love.

The love of God is an armor for us. It is our defense and our hope in time of trials. You might call it the armor of God, the same as in Ephesians 6. His love envelops us and covers us with an impenetrable shield of grace. We not only hide in His great love, but we walk victoriously because of it; we bask in the glory of it, and by His grace are able to share it with others.



Wondrous Love

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (Jn. 3:16)

Love is a great and wonderful thing. It is timeless; it is forgiving; it is ever enduring; it is most honorable. God’s love is much more so, it is pure and sweet, and creative and uplifting; it is beauty and grace and mercy all at the same time; can you imagine a world without love? What a tragedy it would be. God’s love is the ultimate: it transcends all boundaries that man puts on it; it soars to greater heights than man can ever imagine; it reaches to the lowest earth, and stretches across the heavens themselves; it is altogether wonderful. The love of God penetrates the coldest of hearts; it breaks the walls of rebellion, and soothes the wretched soul of despair; it brings peace to mankind, and joy to every lonely and forlorn soul; there is nothing greater than the love of God, absolutely nothing.
When men have forsaken me, and life seems futile and harsh, the love of God sees me through; when I despair for my health, or fear for my life, God is there, and His love carries me; when I am destitute and despondent, and just want to die, God quickens me in His love; when my fellow man hates me, and plots against me, my God turns his evil back unto him. I cannot thank Him enough; I cannot praise Him enough; I cannot feel the depths of gratitude that I owe Him because he loves me; there are no words adequate enough to express the joy He gives in love. His love is more than amazing; it is a thousand times greater than wonderful; it supercedes all splendors and the very best of the thoughts of men; it reconciles; it forgives; it builds anew; it creates; it does everything imaginable, and yet we spurn it. Oh foolish man, we do not deserve the love of God, and yet He gives it; unconditionally; impartially; to all men all over the world. Most blessed be the name of the Lord. Lift His name on high; exalt Him beyond the heavenly realms; speak softly of His lovely name, and meditate on His unspeakable grace, and draw nigh unto him in hope. “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Only the love of God is able to deliver me.

Matthew 6

“But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.” (vs. 3, 4)

There are three verses in this chapter that immediately catch the readers’ attention, they are: Verses 4, 6 and 18. These three verses tell us that when we serve the Lord in these aspects, and secretly, He will reward us openly. These concern the giving of alms; prayer, and fasting. For each of these there is a promise of open, public rewards if we will do them in secret.

The first, found in verses 1-4 speak of almsgiving. This is giving to charitable causes; it is giving to the poor, and needy specifically. It is not tithing; it is not offerings, but it is charity, which is the essence of love. One principle for giving then is to give to a need. We have too much giving that promotes us instead of the recipient. We give for favor; or for position; or some sort of recognition, usually, but this is honest and needful giving. It is done cheerfully when done right, because we know that it has helped someone in some way.

Second, we find in verses 5-7 we see the admonition for prayer. These too shall be rewarded openly, when they pray secretly. Others will be able to see the blessings of God upon us when we pray in secret. Too many of our prayers are done for the sake of those around us. We try preaching in our prayers! Sometimes we try to “wax eloquent” and make a nice sounding prayer for the sake of those who are listening; we pray to them, and not to the Father when we do this; and sometimes we like to “show off” and pray loudly or publicly for the sake of those around us. These types of prayers accomplish nothing, we have our reward when others see us and think us to be spiritual; we have the praise of man.

Then, thirdly, we see in verses 16- 18, that fasting needs to be done in secret, as a personal thing, and not broadcast to others around us. Each of these passages contains the same promise, that God will reward us for doing them. Not only that, but others will see the blessings of God upon us, as already stated, and they too may have cause to glorify the Father. Let us serve Him in Spirit and in Truth, and not for the glory of men.

How is your “secret life” going?











Philippians 4

“Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.” (v. 5)

To use a naval term, let us be "even keeled" or steadfast in all endeavors. This is a restraint of passions and indulgences of appetites; it is to control rage, and extinguish anger. Moderation is the "middle of the road", so to speak, and not drastic swings to the right or left. It is no extreme or excess in any direction or practice. When we allow others to anger us, we are not practicing moderation. If we are not angry all the time, we should not get angry any time! This is a very hard thing to practice, but the Word never changes, only circumstances change. When we react to circumstances, we are no longer acting on the Word of God. So, why should we do this? Because "the Lord is at hand."

The Lord demands an evenness in our person, a moderation of temper and appetites. Overindulgence most always leads to trouble in some respect, as well as extreme swings in attitudes and moods. If I find myself in adverse circumstances, and perhaps someone strikes me, am I still to remain moderate in temper? Is retaliation justified at such times? Let me ask, in answer to that, does the Bible change with each situation? No. It still says, every time we read it, “Let your moderation be known unto all men…” even if the situation is not a pleasant one. This does not mean that I have have attained to this height yet, please don’t get me wrong. I have struck out at adversity, and, no doubt, I will again, but know when I do it I am not doing what the Bible says to do. My point is, we too often allow the circumstances in life to dictate our actions, and ignore, at times, the Word and principles of God. We then become a child of circumstance, and at the whim of every evil that comes along. A great man once said that “if you anger a man, you have conquered him already”, or something to that effect, and I see that it is a true statement.

Let’s endeavor to be of moderate temper, at least, and that alone will be quite an improvement for most of us; and, along the way, let us also be moderate in our actions, and appetites, and we will have accomplished a great deal toward godliness.















Philippians 4

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (v.8)

In this verse we see six things in which we can judge our own thoughts by. These are the things that we are told to “think on” as we go through this life, to help us keep pure, clean thoughts that are Christ honoring, and beneficial. The Bible admonishes us to always keep our mind on the things of God, or at least good things, because, it has been observed, that man cannot think two thoughts at the same time. If our mind is occupied with a certain thing, we cannot think of another without “changing the channel” so to speak. When thoughts enter our mind, we need to see if they measure up to these biblical standards, and if not, kick them out, and “change the channel” to another, better, thought. We can relate to changing the channel on tv, but when it comes to our thoughts, we are slow to do so. These six categories, though few in number, cover a myriad of thoughts, and we could go for weeks in them without getting bored, and still keep our minds of on the right things.

Notice how Jesus fits all these categories! When we keep our mind on Him, and those things pertinent to Him, we fulfill this scripture, and have the “peace that passes all understanding.” After all, what else is more worthy of our attention? What, or Who better fits in these qualities of thought than our Lord? Every thought needs to be brought into captivity (2 Cor. 10:5), and we ought to measure them all by these standards. If our thoughts don’t fit in these categories, we need not dwell on them any longer. So, how do you measure up?

All our thoughts can be controlled, and ought to be, and this “guide” will help us to accomplish that task in our lives. Let’s be conscious of our failures here, and conform our thinking to the Word of God, and we will fare well in the game of life. Don’t fail though to allow the Bible to define what is true, or lovely, or just, and all these virtues, and not our own definitions, lest we err in our interpretations, and prevail in the application of error.















Philippians 4:4

“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”

I find it peculiar that none of the commentators of our day, or previous days, say anything about the use of the word "alway" as opposed to "always". Unless they are critical of the text, they do not even address this change in wording. Paul uses the word "always" three different times in this same book, and yet saw fit to say "alway" here! Why do you suppose it is so? Obviously there was a reason for it.

(Three references to "always" are: 1:4~1:20~2:12)

"Alway" is used only one time in Philippians, but several times in the New Testament. There is a reason for the change in usage, if you believe at all in the inspiration of the writers, if not, then it can be sloughed off as a scatter brained man whose inconsistencies are obvious in the writing of Holy writ. It would be wise for us to trust the text and the wisdom with which it was meant, and search out the "why" behind the matter.

"Always" enters the realm of time without necessarily including circumstance, while "alway" speaks of every way our feet find to go, and whatever comes our way. they are almost the same thing, for if we were to rejoice always, it would include the time of trouble too, but the latter word is more definite and descriptive of the teaching.

The Old Testament uses this word (alway) as if it were more permanent than the other. "Always" may have certain exceptions, while "alway" does not seem to. It is used 11 times in the Old Testament and 12 in the New, including as a last comforting word to the apostles in Matt. 28:20. Don’t you think Jesus knew the difference? Why then do we attack the translators of the King James Bible (it is not a “version” of the Bible), in this matter, when they too translate these words correctly everywhere else? We must understand that there is a reason for the difference in text. By the way, let’s not lose the message of the text while we examine the wording of it; we need to rejoice in all things, all the time, and only then will we truly enjoy our Christian experience. The word “always” then, is more inclusive than even the word “always”. I wish I had more time to expound on this, but I pray that the Lord will reveal it to you, as He has to me.














Philippians 4:13

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

The key word in this verse is “which”. I see this as the second most mis-quoted verse in the Bible. How many times have you heard someone quote this verse and say, “Christ who strengtheneth me”? This one word makes a world of difference in this verse. The word “who” refers to a person, who is Christ. This is saying, in effect, that I can do anything through Christ, but too often I discover that I cannot do absolutely anything. Mis-quoting this verse in this way, hurts one’s faith, especially a new Christian, when he finds that he cannot do everything he attempts to do, or any great feat for that matter (such as working miracles). On the other hand, when we put the proper word, “which” in this verse, it refers to an object or a principle, such as a doctrine. The verse then focuses on “all things” that strengthen. The true application of this verse is “I can do all those things that strengthen me through Christ.” I do not attempt to correct the text, for it needs no correction, but I hope to correct our focus on this verse. Folks, we can do all that makes us stronger in Him, by His grace. He wants us to be stronger. All that is good for us, and is right (which is the same thing), we can do through Him.

This is a little off the text, but I must use the illustration to clarify my point:

It is important to realize that every word is important when it is God’s Word. One word can change the focus, and the entire meaning of a verse or passage. No two words mean exactly the same thing, otherwise, we would not need so many words in the English language. An example is in Jn. 1:12, where the word “power” is translated “right” or “privilege” or authority” or several other words, especially in inferior versions of the Bible. Now, though these words may be correct in a sense, they all lose the force of the word “power” which is the correct rendering. If Christ gives me the right to become a son of God, it is as if I must do it, with His blessing! If He gives me the power, I know I can do it, because He “strengthens me” in that area. Not so with “authority” or “privilege” or even the “right.” We, as Christians, need to be careful about changing the Word of God, especially when we are “quoting” scriptures. Accuracy is imperative, for another’s faith may hang on your words.














Philippians 1

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (v. 21)

I shudder to think of how often I have flippantly quoted this verse, and gave no thought to what it really says. Can you imagine actually living your entire life for Christ? I mean, every moment of every day is given to Him and to His glory, with no time for “self” or things of this world that occupy so much of our time now. There is yet a double emphasis here, even in the first part of this verse: “For me to live is Christ” or “my life is in Him” and the usual application speaking of service to Him, or “for” Him. I can only imagine living completely in service of the Lord, it seems nowadays to be nearly an impossibility. There is so much that “needs to be done” in our lives; how crowded we are with the things “of necessity” in this world, such as business (“I have to provide for my family” is our excuse) , and education (which is closely tied to business, or rather future business); what about recreation? Don’t we need a lot of leisure time to help quell the tension and anxieties of life’s struggles? Jesus didn’t. Paul didn’t. For Paul, “to live is Christ”, Christ is his life. There was no other thought of life without Jesus. So what makes up this thing called life for us? When anything occupies the place of Christ, and our life is totally consumed with “things” and actions aside from Christ, death is not gain for us, it is a mysterious and fearful thing. Let’s go a step further, and say that when our life is crowded with the confusions of this world, and the desires of the flesh, and the pride of self-worth, then Christ is no longer clearly visible in our life, he exists in us in a haze or fog, obscured by the things this world throws at us and offers us subtly. Can we then say with Paul that “For me to live is Christ…”? If so, our death is truly gain to us.

The “gain” is Heaven of course, but there is much more to gain than this. If all we have is hope of Heaven after our death and up until our death, then we live as if it is future, and not for us today. We live as if it is something far off, and perhaps not even real in our thoughts and minds. We must live for Christ, even as we live in Christ. There is, after all, a difference in the two. There is much gain in living for Christ, even here and now, before our day of death. There is an abundance of blessings waiting to be bestowed upon us, as well as a Heavenly home, in Christ. Paul’s life was dedicated solely to the glory and magnification of the Lord, and he reaped the joys and benefits of it. Sure, he was a tentmaker, and plied his trade for a time so as not to be a burden to the churches, that they might have more to give to the poor and needy. Even his secular work was for the glory and honor of the Lord, and then he spent his weekends preaching! (Acts 18: 1-4 and 1 Corinthians 9), now that is a dedicated life.












Philippians 2

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. (v. 3)

This verse seems to be a key verse in chapter 2. It seems that Paul recognizes a problem in the church at Philippi, and hits the problem head-on. All that aside, look at the problem, and then notice the solution: the problem was self-centeredness, the “me first” attitude; the solution? Think of others first. Put their needs before ours, this will defeat the pride of self-will and the attitude that the world promotes so readily of having confidence in yourself (another way of saying “be proud”). When the Bible says “nothing” it seems to mean “nothing”, at least in this case! All of our actions and thoughts ought to be for the sake of others, knowing that the Lord Himself will take care of our needs and wants! Why do we worry so much about “self” when we have the Lord watching over us? We strive for the mastery over others, thinking ourselves to be worthy leaders, and this truly fits in the realm of “vainglory”. “Vainglory” is exactly what both words imply, an empty, worthless glory that is focused on “self” and self exaltation. Strife and vain glory promote one another, they work well together, and lead us down the paths of destruction. Where there is strife, there is vainglory, (see proverbs 13:10); pride is the root of all strife. On the other hand, self glory, or pride, will always lead to more strife as one seeks positional or material gain in his daily life. Let us not think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think.

So much is done these days in the name of vainglory. We crave attention; we like the public parts of the serving the Lord, where everyone knows of our great sacrifice, but does this really please the Lord? Worship is a private matter, as is prayer and fasting and almsgiving. How many of us clean the restrooms or even the church when all is quiet and empty? Even when we do, we like for people to know about it. We crave the attention of men. This type of service, though somewhat of a sacrifice, merits very little actually, because it is not done entirely for the glory of God. It is done for self exaltation, and to gain respect of others. Much of our lives are lived in this type of setting. The irony of this type of service is that we can convince ourselves that we are serving others, when we seek the glory of men. We need to keep focused on the Lord, and continually seek His grace for each day, and in each act of service.

















Philippians 3

“Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,” (v. 8)

This is the proper attitude of humility. We must attain to this standard, lest our service and our entire Christian life becomes vanity. Christ ought to supercede anything and everything this world has to offer, or even claims to have. We spend much of our lives gathering things together, buying possessions and dreaming and seeking “Better” things, then we realize one day that life is more than that, and we discover that without Christ we really have nothing. Christ is everything to us, or ought to be. We know this in our minds, but it is hard to get it in our hearts. With the mouth we say that love the Lord with all our might and strength, but I wonder if we really do? What is important to you? When we find ourselves dwelling on “problems” or desires or anything more than we do on the things of God, we need to do some real soul searching. Try writing down the minutes, or hours that you dwell on godly things and compare it to the hours spent on other things. They may not be evil in themselves, but they “steal” our thoughts and our time; the thoughts and time that we owe the Lord. Carry a notepad with you, and write down how much time you find your mind “drifting” from the things of God to otherwise “important” things in this life. It will be a rude awakening for most of us. We would do well to emulate Paul, and forget those things which are behind, and reach forth to those things which are before (v. 13), and “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, (v. 14). Paul says that those of us that will be perfect need to be “thus minded” and to think like he thinks of the matter of our service, v. 15).

We might consider this a continuation of chapter 2, where we are admonished to serve the Lord in truth, and not be “menpleasers.” This is the key to great service. This will glorify God in our lives. Please don’t get me wrong, I too live on this earth; I too have a family, and things come up that demand immediate attention; there are things that absolutely cannot be ignored, but while I am doing those things I must be careful that they do not consume me, and “swallow me up”. I need to take time for the Lord. When I mow the lawn, I pray as I am doing it. It takes very little concentration to mow the lawn. When you do the dishes ladies, you can sing praises unto God; or pray; or meditate on a certain passage or verse. It is easier than we normally think to keep our thoughts centered on the Lord. Let’s make a habit of doing so, and watch the difference it makes in our lives.














Philippians 4

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (vs. 6, 7)

First let me clarify something; this phrase “be careful for nothing” doesn’t mean that we should not be careful in our lives, as we think of the phrase today, but it means not to be full of care for anything, so that our attentions and affections can be toward the Lord, and not too occupied with other things. Yes, the same message all the way through the book of Philippians. If we are “full of care” for one thing, we have no more room to care for another thing, but we care for our time with the Lord, and for His duties and services. If we will keep our thoughts on Him, and by “prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving”, let our requests be known unto God, then we will have “perfect peace” in all things. You see, it is when things steal our thoughts that we turn from that perfect peace, and begin to worry about the things of this world. This peace of God (which is of course perfect peace) will keep our hearts and minds through Christ (v. 7). To be kept by the Lord is the greatest of blessings; He that is “kept” by God has no need nor worry of anything at all. (See also Isa. 26:3)

Now for one of my favorite passages on this subject, seen in v. 8: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Here we have six categories in which we can measure our thoughts by; If our thoughts do not fit into any of these, then we need not entertain them, even for a moment. The Word of God, of course, is described in all these things, it fits perfectly in these guidelines for thought. Paul admonishes us to do the same things that we have learned, received, seen and heard in him, and if we do, God will be with us, as He was with Him (v. 9).

Folks, we need the peace of God; without it we have no hope, no ability to cope with the things this life throws our way. Every day hundreds of temptations, trials, and just “regular old business” comes our way and demands of us certain sacrifices and duties. We are ill prepared to handle them without succumbing to doubts worries and greater fears if we have not the peace of God “which passeth all understanding” and we buckle under the pressure of anxiety and tension and other sources of stress. Let’s begin to apply these principles for peace today, and make a lifestyle of living in them, and enjoy the peace of God in our lives.











Perfect Peace

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” (Isa 26: 3)

When we have Jesus we have peace, because He is the “Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6). In fact, when we have Jesus, we get an entire package of love, joy, peace, longsuffering… and all those fine qualities that make up the Spirit of God (Gal. 5: 22,23), not to mention eternal life, the most outstanding blessing of them all. That in itself is a most wonderful thing, and it is beyond our comprehension. It is a peace that passes understanding (Phil. 4:7), and rightly so, because it is Jesus, and it is His peace. There is, however, or so it seems, a step higher in the obtaining of peace. You see, the Peace that comes with receiving Christ as our Savior is for everyone that does so, of course, but it is not that “perfect peace” that we see in our text verse above. That peace comes from keeping our mind, our thoughts, on the things of God. Yes, since Christ is perfect, one could argue the point that his peace is also perfect, and I could not fault you there, but there is a “more perfect” peace, obviously, else this verse would not have needed to be written in such a way as it is. I want the peace of Christ, that peace which surpasses all understanding, but I want even more, I want perfect peace. I want peace that is so perfect that nothing can ever add to it, nor mar it; I want to be sure that it is so perfect that I could not want for more, nor could I ever hope to find more. I want that “Perfect peace” that comes to those whose minds are stayed on Jesus, and I have a promise here that He will see to it that I get it; He will keep me in it. As long as I keep my mind on Him, He will keep me in perfect peace, that is a promise from God Himself.

This is a challenge for all who call themselves by His name. We serve a wonderful and mighty Savior, who is more than worthy of our praises, and who is able to do all that He says He will do, and that includes keeping us in perfect peace. We need to be like the soldier in 2 Timothy 2:4, where the Lord teaches us to be “single minded” by saying “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” We are too caught up into this life, too busy to keep our thoughts on the Lord all the time, yet, even the soldier must concentrate on “soldiering” in order to succeed in his duties. God has called us all to service, will we be distracted by the dainties and delicacies of this world? If so, we will always fall short of that perfect peace that comes from keeping our minds on Him.















God is Love

“He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” (1 Jn 4:8)

“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” (1 Jn. 4:16)

Twice in this chapter we read that “God is love” If you have a hard time defining what love is, here is your answer, “God is love” It did not say that God has love; nor does it say that God can love, but it says that God is love. Love is the essence of what God is. Since God is love, then we cannot get away from love; (Rom. 8: 35-39). Since God is eternal, then we see that love is eternal; If God is omnipresent (and we know He is), then love must be omnipresent; God is omnipotent, so love too is omnipotent. Now I do not wish to replace God with love, but the Bible tells us that God is all these, and love too. All that love is, is God, and all that God is, is seen in love. Since we cannot escape the love of God, we know that it is both powerful and omnipresent (See also Psa. 139: 7-14). You cannot make God quit loving you, no matter what you do; it is His nature to do so, he is love. This means that no one can be evil enough to make God stop loving them; Love is the essence of God, the totality of His being. (Jn. 3:16). We talk of the attributes of God; teach of the blessings of God; all these things, but they are all wrapped up in the love of God, because God is love. They are wrapped in love, and laced with grace, which itself is a manifestation of love. His love is all-inclusive; it reaches out to man and spans the universe searching for a resting place, and it finds man. It takes a wretched, dirty, unworthy vessel and makes it fit for the kingdom of God. I do not speak of the “brotherhood of man”, this is worldly love; I speak of the true, pure, honest and holy love of God that is Him and in Him. Let us all bask in His love. Love His love, for love’s sake. In so doing we love Him too. Why love Him? Because He first loved us (1 Jn. 4:19). He reached out to us, and He who loved first loved best. He loved us because He is love, and He cannot do otherwise. He said in Jeremiah 31:3 “Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Gods love is everlasting, and cannot be broken, lest we break Him, and that is totally impossible. All this because “God is love”.