Trust Our Good Shepherd :: By Nathele Graham

Published on: by RR7 Category:General Articles, Ron & Nathele Graham

Psalm 23 is probably the most beloved Psalm in Scripture. It was written by King David, who knew the responsibilities of a shepherd well.

David must have been a very tenderhearted person but fierce in the protection of his flock. He killed a bear and a lion that had threatened his flock as God was training him to be king. After that, he faced the giant Goliath with confidence as Saul’s army cowered in the hills. David’s confidence came from his solid knowledge that God was with him.

How different a professing Christian’s walk would be if we had the confidence that David had. Too often, we cower in fear like Saul’s army instead of walking in the footsteps of Jesus with confidence. Maybe we cower because we haven’t truly placed our faith in Christ.

“[[A Psalm of David.]] The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).

God has always taken care of His children. When the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt, He parted the Red Sea so they could safely pass as if it was dry land, He provided manna when they were hungry, and He gave them water when they were thirsty. Like a shepherd, God always looked out for their well-being. Sadly, those belly-aching people never learned to trust Him, and their poor choice caused them to wander for 40 years. Still, God watched out for them. He protected them through battles and led them in their wanderings.

Jesus is our Good Shepherd, and He will lead us in our Christian walk if we trust Him. “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:11).

Jesus did give His life for His sheep. We can trust Him and follow Him with confidence. “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters” (Psalm 23:2).

David’s early life was spent tending to a flock of sheep. He understood how important food and water were for healthy sheep. No shepherd would be foolish enough to find barren fields and stagnant water for the flock. Rebellious sheep just might stray into pastures that only held dead grass and stagnant water, but the shepherd would look for them and bring them back into the fold. Again, we see Jesus as our Shepherd who loves us.

“How think ye? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray” (Matthew 18:12-13).

Jesus is our Good Shepherd, and He cares for each member of His flock. If someone decides to wander into the places where sin reigns, Jesus will seek the lost and bring that sheep back to the green pastures and the still waters.

“He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3).

David knew his Lord very well. He knew that by following God’s word, he would never go astray but would follow the paths of righteousness. Was David perfect in following the Lord? No, he wasn’t. He strayed big time. He committed adultery with Bathsheba, and she became pregnant. So to cover his sin, David made sure her husband, a faithful soldier, was put in a position to be killed. Does that sound as if he was following the path of righteousness? It’s more like he was following the way of the world that leads to destruction. Nathan, the prophet, bravely confronted David about his sin, and David saw his own guilt. His heart was broken, and he earnestly went to the Lord in prayer to seek forgiveness.

“[[To the chief Musician, A psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.]] Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions” (Psalm 51:1).

David knew of the mercy of God, but he also knew that his sin was worthy of death. He was brokenhearted and turned to God in humble and true repentance.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit” (Psalm 51:10-12).

As Christians, we are sealed with God’s Holy Spirit, but we should be no less repentant of the sin we commit. As long as we live on this side of Heaven, we will struggle against sin. It’s easy to see the sin in other people but much harder to see our own sin.

“And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:3-5).

David could have pointed to Bathsheba’s sin but knew he had to repent of his own sin. David found forgiveness. “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” (Psalm 23:4).

In the middle of a peaceful bit of poetry and song, we read of a very eerie place. “The valley of the shadow of death.” In fact, it almost seems as if it doesn’t belong in this Psalm, which speaks about green pastures and still waters. In truth, we are all walking in this valley. If you’ve truly given your life to Christ and accepted Him for salvation, death holds no evil for you.

“So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:54-57).

Christians have nothing to fear in death. Be sure your profession of faith was real and not just words. Put your words into action and serve Christ. Death is all around us, and we need to boldly confront those who reject Christ and help them away from the valley of death. They are the walking dead. They may seem to be happy and have all that life has to offer, but unless they have come to a true faith in Christ, they are dead in their sins. You need to put on the whole armor of God and be fearless in the battle against evil.

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12).

We can trust Jesus to lead in the battle and to guide us each day “… in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3b).

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over” (Psalm 23:5).

Do you have an enemy? If you say no, then you’re not walking the path of righteousness. Satan is a formidable enemy and wants you to stray from your walk with Christ. Jesus didn’t promise that life would continually be filled with green pastures and still waters but said that because of your faith in Him, you would have strife, even with your loved ones.

“Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:34-37).

Jesus doesn’t mean that to follow Him we must fight against family and friends. He meant that He must be first in our hearts. If you’ve chosen to follow Him, you may meet with resistance from people you love who haven’t placed their faith in Him. Even if it brings division, He will provide for you. Don’t be shy about your faith, but speak and act in boldness as led by the Holy Spirit.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever” (Psalm 23:6).

David was very sure of his Shepherd. He knew that God’s goodness and mercy are real and for all time. Upon death, David was assured that he would dwell with the LORD forever.

We see other people described in the Old Testament who held that same belief. Job was described as a pretty good guy.

“There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil” (Job 1:1).

Nevertheless, he faced many challenges. His children died, his wealth was taken away, his health was attacked, and “friends” pointed out that he deserved the troubles. Job came through his disease and loss with a stronger faith.

“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me” (Job 19:25-27).

These are strong words from a man who lived many, many centuries before the Redeemer was even born in Bethlehem.

David had confidence in the LORD. He knew that “goodness and mercy” would follow him just as surely as the Shepherd would lead “in the paths of righteousness.” He was able to pass some of this truth to his son, Solomon. Solomon had a very difficult time following the paths of righteousness, but he had been given the gift of wisdom. He wrote the following:

“In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death” (Proverbs 14:26-27).

There’s no disadvantage to being led by the Lord. We are given all we need. If we learn to thank God for what He provides, we will find that what the Lord gives is really all we want.

Today we can rejoice in our Lord and Saviour. He is our Good Shepherd who leads us in the paths of righteousness. He leads, and we need to follow. If you claim to be a Christian, let that profession of faith change you. Trust in the Good Shepherd, and He will never fail you.

“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21).

He is my Shepherd, and I shall not want… even when walking through this valley of the shadow of death.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com
ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

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8 Aug 2022

Published on: by RR7 Category:Prayer Center

Twilight Zone Times

APOSTASY; DOCTRINES OF DEMONS

Fog of The Twilight Zone Invades the Church. In many churches today, it’s like entering a Twilight Zone – a message that we can experience our “best life now.” Five-year plans made without a thought of Jesus’ imminent appearing or the threatening clouds on the horizon. Like a church shrouded in fog so that it’s unaware of the outside world and the many prophetic signs telling us we live in the last days.

Scotland: Eleven charged in ‘child sex abuse ring involving witchcraft, Ouija boards to summon spirits and demons, and killing of animals.’

Iranian propaganda turns public against Evangelical Christians, religious minorities in a campaign to deny freedom of religion to those that don’t conform to Shia Islam. These Christians are described as belonging to an “Evangelical Zionist cult.” Iran is the 9th-worst country regarding Christian persecution.

LAST DAYS OF LOT RETURNED…

Leftist Education Consulting Firm Seeks to Promote ‘Queer Mathematics’ in K-12 Schools.

Dept. of Education’s plan to change Title IX to include trans identity. They’re redefining what ‘sex’ means. Title IX had for 50 years protected students from discrimination on the basis of their sex. This new ruling claims sex includes ‘gender identity.’ It undermines students for whom Title IX had protected. If it becomes law, anyone can say how they identify, and schools would have to go along with it.

FDA Warning on Puberty Blockers. 6 cases of tumor-like brain masses in girls age 5-12 so far. Yet Biden’s Asst. Sec. of Health (“Rachel” Levine, male identifying as female) claimed these ‘treatments’ are life-saving, necessary, & age-appropriate. A lie from the father of lies! Promoting transgender treatments for minors is dangerous propaganda and an assault on valid medical research.

Mom Stripped of Custody After Questioning Whether 12-Year-Old Daughter Was Really Trans.

Virginia Military Base Hosts Drag Show at Family-Friendly Festival. Our enemies are laughing.

San Francisco Hosted Kink Fest Despite Monkeypox Risk & the city’s declaration of a health emergency.

Gillette Venus Launches Inappropriate Ad Campaign – musical commercials about shaving pubic hair airs when children are watching. The ads are suggestive and disgraceful in their attempt to normalize discussion of pubic hair. Can you imagine what goes through a child’s mind when seeing these ads?

UK Veteran Arrested for “Causing someone anxiety” on FB After Posting Anti-Woke Picture. A police officer called the veteran “homophobic.” Why? Because he doesn’t tow the LGBTQ line.

One-Time’ Detective of The Year’ Sent Sexual Messages to Female He Thought Was 14 Years Old. Detective Gregory Beaumarchais, 43, often sent the messages while on duty. When his social media provider barred him, he created another account with a similar user name.

…AND THE ABORTION ABOMINATION

Biden signs executive order authorizing use of Medicaid to fund out of state abortions. This is forcing American taxpayers to fund abortion travel. Meanwhile, Biden’s regime rejected an application from Texas to expand Medicaid coverage to new mothers. This is the latest hypocritical move by the Left that puts the care and needs of Texas mothers and babies in jeopardy – all in the name of partisan politics.

‘Resident’ VP Kamala Harris Slams Pro-Life Americans: Says They’re “Extremists” Who Hate Women.

On The Spew… err, The View, Whoopi suggests God supports abortion since He gave us ‘freedom of choice.’

“Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?” (Psalm 94:8).

LAST DAYS TRAITORS

Supercharged IRS Will Audit Lower- and Middle-Income Earners. “Congress wants more tax revenue because it can’t control its appetite for spending. That’s why it wants a tax agency in beast mode,” writes the Wall Street Journal in a new op-ed. The new so-called ‘Build Back Better’ bill allots $80 billion in new funding for the IRS. Included is funding to send 87,000 new IRS agents after you and your family-owned business. The IRS has already been targeting lower and middle income earners, yet Democrats want to hire new IRS agents to audit individuals and small businesses. Their claim of only seeking to audit those who earn over $400,000 is a lie.

“Why let a police station burn to the ground and not send in troops?” a man asked Minnesota’s Gov. Walz. Staff whisked Walz away before he could answer about his handling of the Floyd riots.

Stop Chinese Communists from purchasing US land! We can’t continue to give our top enemy a foot in the door and undermine our national security.

“At War with Deep State Globalists.” They want total control over mankind. Central bankers want a financial system where they do whatever they want. It’s a choice between tyranny and sovereignty, freedom or slavery.

Garbage In, Garbage Out: 96% of NOAA Temperature Stations Fail’ Uncorrupted Placement’ Standards. Climate Change Globalists lie to bring about a totalitarian one-world government. “NOAA’s own requirements state that temperature data instruments must be “over level terrain (earth or sod)… and at least 100 feet from any extensive concrete or paved surface.” That instruction is regularly violated. “Data from stations that have not been corrupted by faulty placement show a rate of warming in the US reduced by almost half compared to all stations.”

DELIBERATELY PITTING NATION (ETHNIC) AGAINST NATION (ETHNIC): A MARXIST AGENDA

From Wall Street Journal: Medical Education Goes Woke. Woke pol­i­tics is about to in­fect med­ical ed­u­ca­tion. America faces a severe doctor shortage, and it won’t help attract prospective doctors to tell students they must attend to their guilt as racial and political oppressors.

PLAGUE, PESTILENCE…

Toxic Chemicals Blamed for Decline in Kids’ IQs. What’s not mentioned is the education system today that focuses on ‘woke’ policies instead of academics, at least in the US, the only country standing in the way of a totalitarian communist one-world government. Students are deliberately dumbed down in preparation for this system since they’ll be more easily controlled.

Insurance Data Shows Big Rise in US Lyme disease. Diagnoses have increased dramatically in the past 15 years, rising 357% in rural areas; 65% in urban areas. Lyme disease can affect patients long after treatment, known as chronic Lyme disease.

California: Rare Bay Area Legionnaires’ outbreak in Napa County leaves 1 dead, 12 sick.

Polio found in New York City wastewater as state urges vaccines. The virus was present a month before announcement of a case last month. The virus in wastewater indicates there may be more in the community shedding the virus in their stool.

Drug Plague, Pharmakeia. Journalists in DC taking psychedelic mushrooms to ‘improve their performance.’ Left-leaning Politico admits it’s fairly common in DC, especially in Media circles. DC made enforcing bans on buying/selling psychedelic mushrooms law enforcement’s lowest priority, making it basically legal. There are movements in over 24 states to study, decriminalize, or legalize mushrooms & other psychedelics.

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

…AND THE PLANNED-DEMIC

US: Latest VAERS data shows 1,357,940 reports of adverse events from all age groups following COVID vaccines, including 29,790 deaths and 247,686 serious injuries between Dec. 14, 2020, & July 22, 2022. This included a 9-year-old who died two weeks after her first dose of Pfizer’s vaccine. She experienced stomach pain, sore throat, and chest pain 2-3 days before she died, which didn’t indicate any pre-existing conditions. VAERS has been shown to report only 1% of actual vaccine adverse events.

Canada’s Search-and-Destroy Mission Against Doctor Refusing to Surrender Medical Records of Covid’ Vaccine’ Exempt Patients.

Canada’s gov’t needs to tell the truth about any link to sudden deaths and COVID jabs. Even healthy young adults are suddenly dropping dead. [This is occurring in other countries as well, including the US.]

Germany’s Largest Health Insurer Reveals 1 in 25 Clients Underwent Medical Treatment in 2021 for Covid’ Vaccine’ Side Effects.

China: Coronavirus lockdowns – again. In Shanghai, despite few cases compared to other countries and most being asymptomatic, some apartment complexes are locked down, and residents face food and drink shortages. Many reports have revealed that China’s authoritarian government doesn’t care.

BORDER DISORDER

In Texas, several counties have proclaimed a state of disaster, calling illegal immigration an invasion. There’s human trafficking and lots of drug smuggling. The uptick in deadly fentanyl overdoses is linked to illegal immigration.

ECONOMIC AND FOOD INSECURITY

Even cans of Spam are in anti-theft cases in the grocery store due to inflation in New York City.

45% of Independent Restaurants Couldn’t Pay July Rent (Up 7%).

Jerome Powell, Janet Yellen, and Democrats. They’re effectively inmates running the asylum. When inflation began to rapidly rise, they labeled it “transitory.” Now with a second period of economic descent, they say we’re not in a recession. In fact, they simply redefined the word. Why are propagandists and politicians claiming we aren’t in a recession? I’d challenge anyone to name a Biden policy that prioritizes America or Americans. I can’t spot any.

No Farmers, No Food, No Life. Current policies in many parts of the world place priority on climate change for realizing a green new deal. This will contribute to shortages of food and water and dangerous chemical exposure. The most heavy polluters aren’t farmers but are industries that make products needed for a technocracy revolution to green energy, data mining, and Artificial Intelligence. As more WEF plans are rolled out, inequalities grow, and conflicts are rising all over the world.

Las Vegas, New Mexico, Has Only 1 ½ Months of Clean Drinking Water; State of Emergency Declared. Its only source of clean water, Gallinas River, was contaminated by debris and ash from fires that burned thousands of acres of the Gallinas River’s watershed. This largest wildfire in New Mexico’s history originated after the U.S. Forest Service’ miscalculated’ the effects of their controlled fires. Also see US Gov’t Started a Massive Wildfire, Burning 432 Homes, and Is Now Forcing Victims to Pay.

Iraq: Part of the grain silos at Beirut Port collapsed just days before the second anniversary of the massive explosion that damaged them, reviving memories of the blast that killed over 215 people.

WEATHER EVENTS

US: Worsening Drought in California; Water Prices All-Time-High. Up 56% or more since beginning of the year; not sustainable for agriculture. No crop can carry water costs like that.

US: 4 killed, over 100 structures destroyed in McKinney Fire in California, largest/deadliest this season.

Europe: Drought & heat drive electricity prices to all-time highs. All rivers across central Europe are at unusually low levels, but Germany’s Rhine River is close to the point of effectively closing, putting trade of huge quantities of goods at risk as the continent seeks to stave off economic crisis.

Pakistan: Over 500 people killed, thousands of homes destroyed as record-breaking rains hit.

Uganda: Flooding rains kill at least 29, plus extensive livestock and domestic animal losses.

Japan: 3 missing, 500,000 ordered to evacuate as rain pounds northern part of the country.

COMING CASHLESS SOCIETY

Israel moves closer to cashless society with latest legislation. Laws restricting use of cash are being passed in many countries and are expected to become more common in the future.

ISLAMIC TERRORISM

US State Dept releases global terrorist attack warning to Americans. Americans are urged to take “worldwide caution” when traveling due to heightened risk of “terrorist attacks” and “anti-American violence” in the wake of the death of a terrorist leader killed in a US drone strike.

WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS

Biden administration authorized two large-scale defense sales to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates to help defend against threats from Iran. But Biden’s regime isn’t concerned about America’s militarily; they’re destroying it on a number of levels.

Biden regime talks out of both sides of its mouth.] Biden said the US will defend Taiwan if China attacks (10/22/2021). US does not support Taiwan independence: Blinken (5/26/2022).

Pelosi goes to Taiwan, defying China’s warnings of forceful response. History shows the best way to get a nation out of recession is to get into a war; that usually works to invigorate the economy. History also shows that when one political party faces historic defeat at the voting booth, war is usually the cure. Democrats in DC seem to be attempting to solve both problems by sending Pelosi to Taiwan in hopes of eliciting military action from China. Ever watch the movie ‘Wag The Dog’? You should.

Under rocket fire, Israelis near Gaza spend night in shelters. IDF says Islamic Jihad commander it killed was preparing major attack, stresses it is not targeting Hamas. Israel’s military says air force jets have struck a number of Islamic Jihad rocket-launching positions in the Gaza Strip. By Saturday afternoon, over 350 rockets had been launched by the terror group toward Israel, with at least 227 crossing into the Jewish State. 162 that were heading toward residential areas were intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system. Others fell in open areas. Another 94 fell within the Strip itself. One home was hit, but the occupants were in their bomb shelter at the time.

Iran’s regime says it can move its “[so-called] peaceful nuclear program to a nuclear weapons program” at a fast pace “if the US or the Zionist regime make any stupid mistakes.” The video claims it can “turn New York into hellish ruins.”

As Russia forges alliance with Iran & Turkey, ‘Ezekiel 38’ & ‘Gog and Magog’ trend on social media. This disastrous prophesied battle gets closer as an unbelieving world snoozes.

CONCLUDING SCRIPTURE

“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13).

“But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord [Tribulation-God’s wrath] so cometh as a thief in the night… sudden destruction…. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness…. Let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ [in the rapture]” (1 Thess 5:1-4, 8-9).