The Lord Is My Shepherd Week 12

well-known Psalm. Uh it's probably one of the best known Psalms in the Old Testament. And um and and yet sometimes when we know something well, we don't pay attention to it. And uh I'm I'm thinking about doing a series uh for church and Sunday morning, a series called Bible Stories You Thought You Knew. because we grow up hearing all these different Bible stories and we think, well, I know all about that and we really don't know the truths that are in those Bible stories. And Psalms 23 is one of those where it's got it's a great psalm, but sometimes we're so familiar with it, we don't really pay attention to it.

And so Psalm 23 and verse number one, it says, "The Lord is my shepherd. I I shall not want." We see the person of Psalms and that is the Lord. He is the focus here in Psalms chapter 23. Uh he is our shepherd and of course Jesus Christ is our shepherd. Uh John chap 10 and verse number 11. John chap 10 and verse number 11. Anytime in the New Testament you hear the reference to Christ as the shepherd uh you uh you can guarantee that the hearers understood that related to Psalms chapter 23. It was just as familiar to them as it is to you and I as well. And John chapter 10 and verse number 11, Jesus says, "I am the good shepherd.

The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep." And then you go over to first Peter chapter 2 and verse number 25. 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse number 25. For ye were as sheep going astray, but now returned until uh unto the shepherd and bishop of your souls. And then Psalm of 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse number four. And when the chief shepherd shall appear, you shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. So Jesus Christ is our shepherd and he is the chief shepherd. He is the one that takes care of us and the Bible says that he knows his sheep. Going back to John chap 10 again. John chapter 10 and verse number three.

It says to him the porter openeth and the sheep hear his voice and he calleth his own sheep by name and leadth them out. And uh he knows his sheep. He he knows us personally and he knows us by our names. He knows us everything about us. And uh so he knows his sheep and his sheep know him. Verse number four. And when he put forth his own sheep, he goeth before them and the sheep follow him for they know his voice. And uh you you got to remember back in that day uh the shepherds would take their sheep up into the the mountains uh to to graze on the good grass up there. And uh what they would do is they would all uh put them together in one area and all the flocks would get mixed up.

Uh but when the end of the day came, the shepherds would call their sheep and the sheep would come to their shepherd uh individually and they they divide themselves up. The the shepherds didn't have to go around looking for well that one's got a black spot that's mine and this one's got a little, you know, nick in his ear and that's mine. Uh the sheep knew their shepherd and the shepherd knew their sheep and uh and and Jesus says, "Listen, I know you and I know you personally. I know you in a very personal way. I know everything about you. And uh and and he wants us to know him and and to know his voice when he's speaking to us.

And so Jesus Christ is the chief shepherd. And then pastors are the undersheperds. Go back to first Peter chapter 5. 1 Peter chapter 5 and verses 1-3 says, "The elders which are among you, I exhort, who am also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed. Feed the flock of God which is among you. Take the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly, not by for filthy lucer, but of a ready mind, neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock." And so he's talking here about um the pastors as undersheperds under Christ but also shepherds over the flock as well and having that responsibility.

A as a pastor one of my jobs uh and right now I'm teaching a class called start point which is for those that are new to the church to help them to know more about the church. And one of the things I talk about is there's many different terms that are used for a pastor in the Bible. uh he's called uh a a bishop and he's called a uh uh a a a minister and he's also there's there's about six different names for a pastor. One of them is the idea of the bishop is a shepherd and and my job is to shepherd the flock. And so as a pastor, I need to also get to know the people and uh and the people get need to know the the me the Bible says to know them that rule over you.

uh to know that pastor's strength and know his weaknesses so you know how he can shepherd you and and he can know how to shepherd you as well and uh and so it's important to to know that understand that relationship with the pastor as a shepherd of the flock. Now what does it mean when it says back in Psalms chapter 23, the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. Uh what does he mean by that? Let's look at a couple verses here. Um we're right here in Psalms. Let's start with Psalms chapter 37 and verse number four. Psalms 37 and verse number four says, "Delight thyself also in the Lord and he shall give thee desires of thine heart."

Uh God not only wants to give me uh my wants you, my needs, he also wants to give me my wants, the desires of my heart. Uh Philippians chapter 4 and verse number 19. But my God shall supply all your needs according to riches and glory by Christ Jesus. God specifically promises to supply our needs that I shall not want what I need in my life. And and that's a promise of the Lord. But God also says he wants to give us the desires of our heart. And so the shepherd's job was to provide for those things. And we can trust him to provide for us. Now going back to Psalms 23 and:es 2 and three, he says, "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.

He leadeth me besides the still waters. He restoreth my soul. He leadth me in the path of righteousness for his name's sake." So the the pastures is the next thing we're going to look at here. And um notice that it tells us that he he maketh me to lie down in green pastures. Uh and and so why did the shepherd have to make the sheep to lie down in green pastures? Um you when you're reading your Bible, when you're studying your Bible, pay attention to the words. And he didn't say he just, you know, I don't know about you, but uh I don't have to be made to lie down. You know, I'm tired. I'm going to go lie down.

So why did he have to make them to lie down in green pastures? And number one there is because sheep tend to go astray. Look at Psalms 119 and verse 176. Psalms 119 and verse number 1676. I have gone astray like a lost sheep. Seek thy servant for I do not forget thy commandments. So the psalmist said, listen, I I tend to go astray. I I see that myself and uh I I know what's right. I know what God wants me to do, but I I will naturally tend to go astray. And look over at Isaiah chapter 53 and verse number six. Isaiah chapter 53 and verse number six. All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way.

And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Uh sheep tend to go astray. They tend not to pay attention. They tend to wander off. they tend to go where they shouldn't go. And and so it says that he maketh them to lie down. Even though it's a a a beautiful place, a wonderful place, he still has to make them stop and even when they have everything they want to say, hey, stay right here. This is where you want to be. And um and then why does sheep lie down in a pasture? He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. Uh look at John chapter 6 and verse number 35. John chapter 6 and verse number 35.

You and I, we don't live in an agricultural society, so we're not around sheep very much. Uh there is a good book put out by a a Christian author who was a shepherd and was also a pastor. He talked about sheep and and and gave some great illustrations there. Uh but sheep, why do they lie down in the pasture? John 6:15, it says, "When Jesus therefore uh perceived that they would come and take him by force," um that's not the one we want. 6:35, I'm sorry, 635. Let's try it again here. And um and Jesus said, "I am the bread of life. He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth shall never thirst."

Did I get that right one this time? Uh where am I at? So they'll never hunger. They'll never thirst. The sheep lies down when it's satisfied. When it's full. Uh that's the point is ready to lie down. And so the shepherd is saying, "Listen, uh when you're satisfied, when you're full, then then you can go and lie down." And uh so why do sheep lie down in the pasture? Uh they lie down. Uh what do they do while they're lying the pasture is they chew their cut. Uh Psalms chapter 1 and verse number two. But it's the lies in the law of the Lord is law that they meditate day and night. And so you see the sheep.

If you drive by the field there, the sheep, they're lying out in the pasture. That tells you they've gotten plenty of food. There was plenty of green grass. There was plenty to eat. They've got their fill. And now they're lying down in the pasture and they're they're regurgitating all of that uh food and and getting all the nutrition out of it they can. And and this is, you know, we've talked about this at the beginning of the series on Psalms is how important meditation is to the Christian life. Is that we don't meditate. We we read the Bible, we shut it, we forget all about it. We're all done with it.

And God says, "No, I want to make you to lie down. I want to make you stop and and and chew on what you've learned. To stop and think about what you've heard in the message, stop and think about what you read in the Bible. To stop and and chew your cud is what he's saying here. And so when he says he makes them lie down in green pastures, it's because he satisfies all their needs. I'm going to give you everything that you need. I'm going to give everything you want and and you're going to have your bellies full, so to speak. And now I want you to stop and just really meditate on the goodness of God, to meditate on the blessings of God, to meditate on the what you've learned about God.

And to really spend that time in meditating. Now going on back to Psalms chapter 23 says, "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He lead besides the still waters." And so we want to know what what does the still waters represent? Look at Psalms chapter 46 and verse number 10. Psalms chapter 46 and verse number 10. Psalms 46:10. Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen. I'll be exalted in the earth. And and God wants to remind us there's time just to to to to be still. There's a time just to slow down and and and let the uh think about who God is. And so the still waters I think first of all represent salvation.

Go over to John chapter 4. John chapter 4 and verses 13 and 14. John chapter 4 and verses 13 and 14. Jesus answered and said unto her, "Whosoever drinkketh this water shall thirst again, but whosoever drinkketh the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water I shall give him shall be in him. a well of water springing up into everlasting life. And so he says he make me to lie down by still waters. It's to know that I'm saved, to know that I'm going to heaven, to know that I have eternal life. But it also represents the water in the Bible represents the word of God. Look at Ephesians chapter 5 and verse number 26.

Ephesians chapter 5 and verse number 26. that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. He wants us to to just sit down and open up the word of God. And then uh 1 John 1:9, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse all righteousness. And so the water is symbolized by confession. It is being cleansed to know that he will forgive me my sins and and I can get right with God. And then in John chapter 7 and verse number 37, John chapter 7 and verse number 37 through39. In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.

He that believeth on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." But this spake he of the spirit which they that believe on him should receive. for that Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified. And so it's picture it's a picture of the Holy Spirit. When whenever God gives you a visual picture in the Bible, then stop and visualize it. Stop and and think about that picture and and and and what what what is it? What does the water picture? So he make me lie down by still waters. He wants us to really be able to be satisfied with our salvation, to know we're going to heaven.

He wants us to really enjoy the word of God and and be able to know that we can come for cleansing and confession and and then to to to know that the Holy Spirit is working in my life. And then going back to Psalms chapter 23, it says, "He restoreth my soul." Literally means he brings back my soul. He brings back my soul. And so why do we need to be brought back? Number one, because we go astray. Isaiah 53:6, all we like sheep have gone astray. We've turned everyone to his own way. And and so he says, "Listen, you can come back and I'm going to restore your soul. I can bring that back. Bring you back to the place that you used to be."

And uh it's also because we fall. Psalms chapter 56 and verse number 13. Psalms 56 and verse number 13. For thou hast delivered my soul from death. Wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling that I may walk before God to the light of the living. So when we have fallen when we've fallen away from God, we can be restored. We can come back to God. What what a blessing to know that. And then because we sin. Psalms chapter 51 and verses 10-2. Psalms chapter 51 and verses 10 and 12 through 12. Create in me clean heart, oh God. Renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence to take not thy holy spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy sweet spirit. So God is giving this beautiful pastoral scene and he's drawing a a visual picture for the reader here. And it's one that you and I again don't understand as much because we just don't see that. When was the last time you saw sheep out in the field? Uh I mean when we were in in Europe, we got to as we go on the train ride, we saw some fields with sheep in it. But we don't we don't we don't have that a visual. So we've got to stop and think about it and and create that picture in our mind. And and I think for us today, one of the things that we can do is go on Google, pull up a picture of sheep in the pasture.

Go on to Google and look up what do we know about sheep? What what do we know about their characteristics? and and get that visual picture he's trying to give them saying, "Listen, you can be satisfied. You can be like sheep laying lying in a pasture because they're full and they're satisfied. You can meditate and think about what you're learning about God and think about God's blessings and God's goodness. You you can you can come to that water and and drink fully uh to be satisfied with your salvation in the word of God." And he's given that visual picture. And then the next thing he says there is he says he he's restoreth my soul.

And um and then verse letter D. Sometimes God leads us out of the green pastures. Um you know verse two and three they're in the green pastures. But then verse four, yay though I walk through the valley shadow death. And sometimes God leads us out of those green pastures. We're not always there. We're not always in a comfortable place with everything that we need need. and everything we could want and and stomach's full and all the rest of it. Sometimes God leads us out of those pastures and um look at Matthew chapter 7. So he leads me in the path of righteousness for his name's sake. He says in Psalm 23.

So what kind of paths are there? Uh look at Matthew chapter 7 and verses 13 and 14. Matthew 7:13. Enter in at the straight gate. For wide is the gate, broad is the way that lead destruction, and many there be which go in there at. Because straight is the gate, narrow is the way, which leadth to life, and few there be that find it. So you got the straight narrow gate and path, and you got the wide path, and you've got a choice of which path you're going to follow. And God says, I'm going to lead you in the straight narrow paths and in the paths of righteousness. Uh look at u proverbs chapter 16 and verse number 25.

Proverbs chapter 16 and verse number 25. There is a way that seemth right unto a man but the end thereof are the ways of death. And so he leads us in the paths of righteous. Listen, I want to lead you in the right way to go because when you go in your own way, what you think is right, that's the ways of destruction. That's the way of death. And so we want God to lead us down the right paths in life. And then look at Proverbs, excuse me, Proverbs chapter 4. Proverbs chapter 4 and verses 11-15. Proverbs chapter 4 and:es 11-15. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom. I have led thee in the right paths.

When thou goest, thy step shall not be straightened. And when thou runest, thou shalt not stumble. Now the idea there of straightened is is the idea of of not stumbling. Um the idea of that that we are um not hindered or stumbled like like he's going to lead us in pastor Drayton is no potholes. Um you know that would be nice here in Hawaii. It wouldn't be uh no potholes and no branches for you to stumble over and uh when thou runest thou shalt not stumble. Take fast hold of instruction. Let her not go. keeper, foresee is thy life. Enter not into the path of the wicked and go not in the way of evil.

Avoid it. Pass not by it. Turn from it and pass away. And and so he says, listen, you want to get on the right path. Look at verse 26. Ponder the path of thy feet and let all thy ways be established. You know, and when you go through this passage and he talks about paths and ways, it's the idea that there's different he's talking about different things. some sometimes talking about a a giant like a freeway path and sometimes very narrow and limited path and and some of the words talk about a rut even that we get into and there are good ruts and there are bad ruts. Uh I want to have a good rut where I I go to church.

You know I I was driving yesterday and I was wanting to go somewhere and uh and as I was driving along all of a sudden I realized I'm going to church and that's not where I was going to. Uh, I just I I'm such a rut that when I come this way is going to church. That's what I'm doing. That if I don't think about it actively, I'm going to go to church. And and that's a good rut. They're good habits to have, but they're also bad habits to have. And we want to get on the right path and in the way that God leads us. And and God leads us to the right path through the word of God. Look at Psalms 119 verse 105.

Psalms 119 verse 105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Now the idea of the word lamp and light is is a lamp is like carrying a lantern and it puts a circle of light. And each time you take a step, you're stepping in the light and then the light moves forward for your next step. And so you got this circle of light around you and you're walking in that light guiding you down the path. And then a light onto my feet is more like a flashlight where you're shining to look at what you're what you're coming up to to see what's coming there. But he says, "Listen, if you want to be on the right path, if you want to not stumble and you want to not fall, you see the thing I can't do for my kids is straighten the paths, all the paths.

I can't I can't fill in all the potholes. I can't take away all the rocks and the branches that are sticking up in the path that they can trip over. But what I can do is give them the light to see it. And that's how we straighten our path. Is that we have the light to see, hey, there's a pothole there. We have the light to see, hey, there's a there's a thing that can trip me up right there. And and have that light unto our path. And he goes on there and talks about the next thing is look at Hebrews 13:7. Hebrews chapter 13 and verse number 7. He can also direct our paths through our spiritual leaders.

Um Hebrews 13:7, remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken in the word of God who whose faith follow consider the end of their conversation. And so God gives you spiritual leaders so that you can follow them down the right path that you can follow that them in the direction that they're going. And and so it's it's getting good spiritual leaders in our lives. But God wants us on the plain and straight path. Look at Psalms chapter 27. Psalms chapter 27 and verse 11. Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in the plain path because of my enemies. God says, listen, let's keep this simple.

It it's not complicated. We make it more difficult than it is. And God says, "Listen, here's the plain path." You know, I'm so glad God is not Google Maps. When we were in Europe, we were trying to follow Google Maps around all these cities. It was like it was frustrating. Uh they they seem to want to do all they can to make it harder than it is. is it's already hard with, you know, different names and words that we're not familiar with and places that we don't know and and and but God says, "Listen, I I want to keep this simple. I want you on this plain path, this simple straight path." Look at Psalms chapter 5 and verse number eight.

Psalms chapter 5 and verse number eight. Lead me, oh Lord, in thy righteousness because of my enemies. Make thy way straight before my face. You know, straight path. Um paths in life are not straight. They curve, they turn, they go different ways. And but God says, "Listen, when the idea of this idea of where straight is not just that my path is straight, there's no detours, but that I I see where I'm I know where I'm going. I I've got a direction. I've got a purpose to where I'm going." Look at Hebrews chapter 12 and verse number 13. Hebrews chapter 12 and verse number 13. Hebrews 12:13. The Bible says, "And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, but let it be rather be healed healed."

And God says, "Listen, I want you to have straight paths. So, I want you to avoid the obstacles that are going to trip you up. And the way we do that is with the light. The way we do that is knowing where we're going and having a path to follow. And as we walk the right way, he shows us the right way. Go to Proverbs chapter 2. Proverbs chapter 2 and verses 6-10. Proverbs chapter 2 and begin with verse number six. Though for the Lord giveth wisdom, out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous. He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgment and preserveth the way of his saints.

And uh and then then shalt thou understand righteousness and judgment, equity, yay, every good path. When wisdom enterth thine heart, knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul. And so God listen, listen. He says, I want you on the right path. I want you on the right direction. And and when you walk the right way, he shows you the right way. Um I I remember one company I worked for, they had a big sign in the office says, "You can't get there from here." Because people are always coming in ask directions. and and uh and and sometimes you got to realize that if you want to get to the right place, you got to start at the right place.

And and you got to be at the right place. And when we're in the right path, the right way, then God continues to show us the right way. Look at Proverbs 2:20. That thou mayest walk in the way of good men and keep the paths of the righteousness. Ch. One of the challenges by the way is find a good man, a good woman, a good couple that you can follow on their path that they can be trailblazers to break the path for you so that you don't have to build make your own path. Uh it's so important to find good people that you can follow on the path through light life. And I believe that's one of the ways that God will lead you in the paths of righteousness is when you have good people that you can follow.

You have good people that have already worn down the path and cut down the trees and dug up the obstacles and built the bridges across the rivers and have made the way for you and and to follow that path. Okay. And so, how can we be sure to stay on the right path? Uh Hebrews chapter 12, looking onto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith. Uh keeping our eyes on Jesus, keeping our eyes on him. Go to John chapter 10 and look at verses 3-5. John chapter 10. Verses 3-5. To him the porter openeth the sheep hear his voice, and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadth them out. And when he puteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him, for they know not the voice of strangers. And so we want to follow the voice of the Lord. We want to follow that still small voice. We want to follow that that that the Lord speaks to us through his word and and he speaks to us through other means and and just guides us to follow that path. So often people say, "I don't know what direction to go." Follow the Lord, seeking him, saying, "God, I need you to establish the path for me. I need you to guide me into what to do next." And taking it one step at a time. So follow him. In John chapter 10 and verse number 27 says, "My sheep hear my voices.

I know them and they follow me." So we need to follow the Lord. And and in Psalms 119 verse 105, "Thy word is a lamp on my feet, a light on my path." Is stay on the lighted trail. You know, make sure you're on that lighted trail and following the Lord. You know, we were out driving. I forget where we were um this last week. We were out driving. We were on a road that had no street lights at all and boy is it dark and and and we need to make sure that we've got light and uh and and and it's working. Um these new street lights they're putting in now, they're they're much brighter, but the problem with them is when something goes wrong, they start flashing on and off.

If you seen that, they're they're it's like a strobe light going on and off. Uh and but we want to have that light that God is going to direct us with. And then look at Psalms chapter 17 and verse number five. Psalm 17 and verse number five. Hold up my goings in the in thy path that my footsteps slip not. The the idea what he's saying here is he's saying listen Lord help me to establish a rut. Help me to establish you. You know, a rut is where you've gone down that path so many times you've worn it out. And you know, like in a car when you get a rut, you don't have to even steer. It steers itself.

Now, there's bad ruts. And a lot of us have gotten into ruts in our lives. We got into bad habits and and uh they become like, you know, somebody once said that a rut is is a is a grave with the ends taken out, you know, and we get stuck in that grave. But the but the thing is with a with the there are times where I want to have those habits in my life and establish those habits and doing those things. So get in the right get in a habit of doing what God wants you to do. And then number three there is protection. Going back to Psalms chapter 23 and verse four he says, "Yay, 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." and and and so he's listen I I don't have to fear because God's going to direct me. Look at Isaiah chapter 43 and verse number two. Isaiah chapter 43 and verse number two. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee. When thou walst through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. God says, "Listen, I am there to walk you through the valley shadow of death. I'm there to walk you through those difficult times. You know, when when you go through those times, yes, I'm going to have you in the green pastures.

I'm going to have you by the still water." And but then you're going to have to get up and go to the next place. And that's going to be a difficult path, a challenging path. And sometimes it's dark and scary. And and I'm going to be with you in that in that situation. and uh and and to remember that. So I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. The thing to remember about shadows is shadows cannot hurt us, but they can sure scare us. I don't know about you, but what one of the scariest things walking through the woods at night is the shadows. Because every shadow you think is some kind of monster going to jump out at you.

You know what is what is behind that shadow? And and we tend to be scared of shadows that cannot hurt us. And God says, "I'm there with you." Now, notice there's a change here that happens between verses 1-3 and verse number four. Um, what what changes in how David addresses God? See, in in verses 1-3, he says, "The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He maketh me lie down green pastures. He leadth me by sight in still waters. He restoreth my soul. He leadth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. But then in verse four, yay, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.

He changed his his how he addressed the Lord. Because now that he's in that valley of the shadow of death now that he's in that scary place in his life, that's when he needs God. It'd be personal that thou my God and and making it personal in that way. And so sometimes God allows us to go into those dark paths because he wants us to see that personal relationship with him. Not in the abstract he, but in the personal thou. Um so why can we fear no evil when we walk with the Lord? Look at Psalms chapter 27 and verse number one. The Lord is my light, my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is my strength and my life.

Of whom shall I be afraid? I don't have to be afraid because he's the light that takes away the shadows. He's the one that's going to be with me and walking besides me. Look at James chapter 1 and verse number 17. James chapter 1 and verse number 17. every good gift and every perfect gift from above and cometh down from the father of lights with whom there is no variable in this neither shadow of turning. You know, the reason we have shadows is when we we get the the light, something blocks the light. Something gets between us and the light. We have here in Hawaii what's called lahina noon. When the sun is straight above us, there is you have no shadow because the shadow is just straight down.

The sun's straight above you. And and and the shadow comes because we allow something get between us and God. And we don't want to have that happen. And so we need to get you know keep that from happening in our lives. Look at Hebrews chapter 13 and verse number five. Hebrews chapter 13 and verse number five. Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content which such things you have for he has said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. There's no shadow turning God. The sun doesn't move. It's the earth that moves. It's us in relationship to the sun that changes that creates the shadow.

And when we move away from that place where we need to be with the Lord, we bring a shadow into that relationship. And so we need to make sure that we keep him at the center of our lives and we keep ourselves where we need to be and not moving away from where we ought to be. Okay? So, going back to Psalms chapter 23, I want you to think about this before I'm going to answer it. Uh, what is the purpose of the rod and his staff? So, thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Okay. So, what is the difference between a rod and a staff? Uh, let me ask this question. I'm not going to ask you answer out loud, but how many think you know the difference between a rod and a staff?

Raise your hand. All right. Uh, again, when you're reading your Bible, these were things that were common in their day. they would have seen them everywhere. It was just something was just part of life to see see the shepherds in the street and they'd have their rod and they'd have their staff and so everybody knew exactly what he was talking about. But you and I don't and that's why it's so important that when we read our Bible and he gives us a visual illustration that we stop and and try to understand that. Noel was asking me about a handbook of the Bible. He's kind of talking about the history of each book of the Bible.

And and one of the things that there's there was one called Anger's handbook and there's one called Haley's Handbook. And one of the things these things these books tried to do is explain things like this to you. They kind of gave you the this this is what it's talking about. Whether it's whether it's a a denomination of money or whether it's a a weight that we you know we don't we don't weigh in in um you know the way they do in the Bible. And and so it would explain those things to you. Now, we've got something called a computer today you can do it very simply on and just type in what is a rod and a staff?

What is a what's the difference of a shepherd's rod and a shepherd's staff? And you got the answer in less than a second there. And and so take time to do that to understand what he's talking about there. Okay. So, the rod was like a a a stick that they could use for protection. It would be used to beat back the wolf with or or any other animal. It was used as a as a means of protection. Uh look at Romans chapter 8 and verses 31-39. Romans 8 chap chapter 8:31. What shall we then say to these things? God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own son but deliver us for all. How shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth? Who is he that condemnth? It is Christ that died. Ye rather is risen again. Who is he at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us? Who shall separate us from the love of God? Shall tribulation or stress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword? As is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long. We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. And in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I'm persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be a separate from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

That rod was a means of protection. If any anything attacked the sheep, the shepherd would pull out the rod and and and beat it back. Look at Psalms chapter 89 and verse number 32. Psalms 89 and verse number 32. Then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes. Uh it was not only used as protection for the sheep, but sometimes they'd use it to whack the sheep to get them to obey uh to get them to do what was needed to do. Look at Proverbs chapter 22. Proverbs chapter 22 and verse number 15. Foolishness is abound in the heart of child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Proverbs 23 and verses 13 and 14. Withhold not correction from the child, for thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod and shall deliver his soul from hell. And then Hebrews 12:es 5- 11, for time's sake, that's where he talks about chastening. That chastens his children. You know, God spanks his children. But if you're not his child, he doesn't spank you. You know, I was in the store the other day. There was a child that needed a spanking. Uh they were just That's what the mom was trying to plead with the child, trying to bribe the child, trying to reason with the child.

You can't do that with a child. There's a point where the child just needs a spanking. Uh I remember when our children were small, we'd be in the store and they'd start acting like that. We would stop what we were doing. We'd go to a clerk and say, "Can you put these things away?" and we'd go out to the car, we would drive home, the you the child would get the rod, would get a spanking, and then we get back in the car and drive back to the store and do our business. And there's times that they need that. And and and God's rod was a thing that was used for protection, but it was also something used to bring that sheep back into obedience.

and and God chasen his own children that no matter how bad that child was in the store, I wasn't going to go up and start spanking that kid. I'd be in jail today. It's not my child. And uh even with your own children, that's one of the reasons we would drive home to spank them because uh even with your own children, you could be turned in in our society today for spanking your child. And and so we would drive all the way home. By the way, that that taught those children that we were serious because when we, you know, stopped shopping, drove home, took care of a spanking, and it came back to the store, they knew next time that we're in the store and they started misbehaving, we would say, "You better behave."

They understood that that rod was going to be pulled out if necessary and that we were serious about doing business. And by the way, your kids will not learn to obey you until they believe you're serious. You know, when you warn them a h 100 times, if you don't obey, I'm going to spank you and you don't get around spanking them. Then they just get the idea that this isn't serious. But that's what they would understand. They knew the rod was an instrument of protection, but they also knew was an instrument the shepherd would use on the sheep to say, "Hey, get moving. Get doing what you need to do."

And then the staff is what we think of the shepherd's staff, you know, with a big hook on the end of it. And uh in Proverbs chapter 3 and:es 5 and 6, Proverbs chapter 3 and:es 5 and 6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, lean not on own understanding, all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths." The staff was long and the shepherd could use it to kind of push the sheep off in the right direction. He could use the hook to hook the sheep and pull them back. uh if a sheep fell over an an edge of a cliff into a hole, he could use that to hook them and bring them up. Uh it was it was used as a guide.

And so God says, "Listen, my I have my rod. I'll protect you, but it also you may get the rod, you may get a little bit of discipline here, and I will guide you." So my rod and my staff, they comfort you. Um I didn't want my kids to look at being spanked as a bad thing. Um, we used to spank using uh the wooden serving spoons. You know what I'm talking about? Uh, we use the wooden ones or the plastic ones. Either one. We'd use those for spanking. And uh I remember one time we had our son Benjamin was being bad. And so we we would tell them to go get a spoon. And uh one of them tried one time coming back with a little uh teaspoon, you know, and uh we corrected that real quick.

Uh but we tell him go get a spoon. And uh and and he said he came back and said there is no spoon. I guess they were all dirty. And so I went in there to look cuz usually they it's not because there is none because they didn't want to find one. But I went in there was no spoon. So but what there was one of those spaghetti servers. You know what I'm talking about? Has the big fingers sticking out like that. I came back in the room with a spaghetti server. You know I was gonna spank it with the back end of it. He looked at that and he said, "You can't." His eyes got real. You can't spank with that.

It'll make holes. you know, uh, but, uh, uh, you know, I didn't want them to see that spoon as something bad. I don't want to have traumatic, you know, experience to have to go to a c, you know, a psychiatrist because they got the spoon when they were kids. But yet to understand that I love you and I'm not going to allow you to do what's wrong. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. All right, we're going to have to stop there because we're running out of time. We'll finish this off next week and go on to our next study. So, I hope I hope again what I've really challenged you with is not only thinking about these words in Psalms 23, which are so familiar to us, but I hope I've challenged you with this idea of pay attention to the illustration that God gives you and and make sure you understand it and and and and understand what the what the picture he's trying to draw for you is.