We all know of the classic Psalm 23 that David opened up with “The Lord is my Shepherd”. This is just as well known as John 3:16. Anyone on the street could quote these, even someone that is drunk which shows how powerful they are. However, with all jokes aside the reason why David opens up with these words is because he has experienced God’s hand leading his life and ordering his steps. This analogy of the Lord being a shepherd was the best parable that David could use because he was originally a Shepherd, even when he killed Goliath. Therefore, because he was so faithful in his walk with God as well as taking care of sheep, he learned that God was the shepherd for him just as he was the shepherd for the flock. The same way that God was the shepherd for David is the same way that he is the Shepherd for us today. God is no respecter of persons, which means that if God was able to provide those blessings for David, who was also a King that was just as imperfect as you and I, then he can do the same for us. A shepherd leads the sheep to greener pastures and protects them from wolves that may chase them, surround them from the side, or may be waiting ahead. God is the shepherd of our past, present, and future so that the wolves that the devil sends from the past to chase us, from our present to surround us and from the future to wait and pounce us cannot harm us because of our shepherd’s rod and staff that gives us comfort by beating those animals away from us that keep us from reaching our destiny. Just as the shepherd makes the sheep to lie down in green pastures, God allows his sheep (us), to lie down in green pastures. These green pastures would be a new job, new location or a new place for us to display our gifts and abilities. Whenever we are in a place where we can be effective as well as grow, produce and be fed, that means that we are in green pastures. Therefore, when we are in a place where nothing is working, there is no production or growth, we are officially in dead pastures. However, before we can go to that greener pasture, God has to prepare us and the way he prepares us is by using our present time to clean up our past mess so that we do not walk into our future promise land with junk from the past to hold us down. Another thing that a shepherd does is that he leads the sheep beside the still waters. When we are in still waters, we are in God’s presence to give him praise because has always been used in the Bible to signify God’s presence. Rushing waters were God’s judgment (Genesis 6 & 7), while still waters were his presence for praise, victory, and freedom. Rivers of living waters represented the power of the Holy Spirit (John 7:38). When God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, he led them through a Red Sea. As they went through, not only did God part the sea, but he also put a pillar of cloud behind them to protect them from the enemy from the past as well as a fire to give them light for their journey to their future. Finally, as Moses and the children of Israel made it to the other side of the sea, God closed up the sea to devour their enemy. Not only that, but the Bible says that the sea returned to its strength as it rushed to wipe out Pharaoh and co. (Exodus 14 & 15) This is a perfect example of God being a shepherd for his people by not only leading them beside still waters to greener pasture, but sending his rushing waters of judgment to wipe out our opposition. Last, but not least God restores our thinking by the renewal of our mind with his word and his spirit. When our thinking is restored, we do not have to be in bondage to the mindset of Egypt (i.e. the world) but our mind can be free to meditate on the things of God’s Kingdom. Instead of looking at our present pain, we can lift up our eyes to the hills from which comes our help as it comes from the Lord. Rather than lose our mind and jump off of a building or go into an alcoholic depression, when our thinking is restored we know that God will keep us in perfect peace because our mind is stayed on him. No longer will we have to settle for less, because not only are we more than conquerors, but we are the head and not the tail, above and not beneath. These are just a small handful of provisions that are provided by a powerful shepherd. As Kingdom citizens, we know that God not only supplies our needs for a job, school etc. but he also blesses us with the tools, details and skills that we need to fulfill our assignments. This has been a tremendous blessing to me and I am just here to share that same word with others.
Psalm 23
1The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4Yea, 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.
5Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Man on a mission
Hello everyone, I am back with another strong post and this will be quite different from the others. Allow me to open with a word of prayer. Father God in the name of Jesus, I come to you repenting of my sins and of my iniquities. Lord, I pray for diligence and stronger faith to please you and let my heart be broken by the things that break your heart. Father God I repent for any damaged relationships and I pray that they will be recovered and brought back together because I realize that I am the common denominator of the wrong things that go on around me and I pray that this blog will help someone else take a closer look at their life and examine themselves further to see if they are of the faith as well. Lord, I pray that the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart are acceptable in thy sight in Jesus name, Amen. Tonight's blog I will be talking about doubt which is the poison of faith which leads to distrust that ultimately leads to broken relationships. This is a very important subject to me, because right now I have become very frustrated about claiming to live by faith and have shreds of doubt the next. Without faith, I am absolutely nothing because faith is able to help me see past my limitations into that which is unseen but on the other side. I am tired of inconsistency within not only my life, but often times in Christianity period. I am not knocking my faith, but I get very angry the moment I say or do something that goes totally against what I profess. I have done a lot of things that I am very very ashamed of and allowing doubt to affect my thinking is one of them. I am ashamed of the miscommunication that I have caused and sometimes when I believe that I have made two steps forward, I end up taking two or three steps backward. I guess it is because I must have such an extra high expectation level and standard for myself that some of the slightest mistakes would totally aggravate me. I am on a mission to correct all of the wrong that I have made in my life before my judgment day comes. I may be only 20 years old, but when I look back at my life sometimes I look at myself as if I did a million different things wrong. Even though I did not physically carry out a lot of those things, the fact that my thinking was bad is enough for me to handle. As I have previously stated, I am very ashamed about how I have hurt those around me and I like to make up not only by word but by my actions because I believe that is what true repentance is. Repentance is a complete change of the mind to turn away from sin into a totally opposite direction. I am on a mission to show others a true genuine model of the Christian life. People such as myself are so sick and tired and disgusted of a bunch of over spiritual windbags who use church lingo and throw scriptures around like passes in football, but the moment that you do something to slightly upset them, they are ready to curse you out faster than Stone Cold flipping the finger at Vince McMahon. I know that we are all human, do not get me wrong, but there comes a time where we must carefully control our tongue so that the flesh will not dominate. The last thing that I want to do is be a hypocrite about anything because I am very serious about the lifestyle that I live because I am determined to make sure that my life counts for something significant and if it does not, I do not know why I carry the title "Christian" and pick up a Bible in the first place. I do not want to sound like some kind of fool that blabs off every single thing that comes to his head, but this frustration that I have has been held inside boiling for a long time and this is the perfect therapy for me because I internalize many different things so that when the time comes, I can shoot off whatever I need to say. This blog is a perfect example because I know that I am not alone and that there are not only thousands, but millions of people like me who strive constantly to be the best that they can be for God and nothing less. I hope that I do not lose anybody, but I hope that whoever reads this understands where I am coming from because I am being as transparent as I possibly can. Often times I may come off as someone who can be a little too uptight but you are reading the blog of a man who has gone through and done some rough as well as stupid things and I try extremely hard to live down my past and drown out my pain. Therefore, I have learned that the only solution to that is a strong relationship with God through Jesus Christ. I know that may sound cliche to some but it is the truth. I have seen the danger that comes and the damage that is done from the decisions that people make when they do not know God and I cannot afford to mess this up because I realize that I have a huge investment on my success and ninety nine and a half will not do as the old folks used to say. I am determined to constantly repent and live for God all the way because I am absolutely ashamed, embarrassed of and furious about who I was in the past which has driven me to study God's Word even more and even harder so that I can see where I have fallen short so that I can make up for it. I know that I cannot pay this debt of sin that I owe by myself because of what Christ did for me, but I do know that it costs me everything to live a clean, and faithful life. At the end of the day, I forget those things which are behind and reach for the things that are before as I press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. From this point on, I am constantly editing and rewriting my life story by deleting the foolishness of my past and writing even greater chapters for my future because I want to be the Excellence of Execution for the Kingdom of God and because God is greater than any and every enemy that comes my way, I want to be the best in everything that I do so that I reflect him. I do not mean to use a catch phrase from a certain Canadian Legend, but because my Heavenly Father (Jesus) is the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be, I must pattern myself after him.
Philippians 3:13-15
13Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
22Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;
Matthew 7:13-14 :
13Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
11When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
Ephesians 4 :
22That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
21This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
19Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
Philippians 3:13-15
13Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
22Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;
23And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
24Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
25But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.Matthew 7:13-14 :
13Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Hebrews 12:
1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
4Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
11When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
Ephesians 4 :
22That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
26Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27Neither give place to the devil.
21This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
22It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
24The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
27It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
19Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
20But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
21If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
22Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
2010: Time for a Stand
As we come into this new year of 2010, now is the time to stand. God is getting his people ready for war against the enemy as the return of Christ comes even closer and now battle lines have been drawn.
There is no longer a gray line in between but strictly black and white. Compromise is being thrown out of the window and now it is back to only 2 sides. God has been raising a remnant of believers within the church that is already here. In other words, there is a church inside of the church where there is a remnant of saints who are serious about living for God within the midst of a majority of double-minded people who claim him mainly on Sundays but have nothing to sustain them. These are the people who are filled up with everything else but the Word of God as well as his Spirit. There are people who will believe what Oprah says before they believe what Jesus says. People who believe a gossip magazine or website before they believe the Bible. These are tares among wheat. I am not pre-judging but I am just stating what is obvious. I believe that there will soon be a separation between these groups of people within the church. God has always called for a separation between his people and the world dating back to Egypt. When God brought his people out of Egypt the house of bondage, he clearly laid out different guidelines, most famously the Ten Commandments. However, before the Children of Israel went into a different land, God would clearly lay out the rules to them before they went into that land such as not following after strange gods or wearing certain clothing. These are clear examples of what they were not to do, because if they did there would be no difference but simply confusion which would wipe them out. I believe there is power in being peculiar and being separate from the world. A great example was Daniel. When Daniel and his crew (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego) were in the court of Babylon, God gave Daniel favor with the prince because he purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king of Babylon's meat, nor drink wine. When Daniel did this, he kept his body pure because he knew that his body was a temple of God. Instead, the prince gave Daniel and his three friends a test by eating vegetables and water for ten days. When the ten days were over, 
Daniel and the three Hebrew boys were healthier than everyone else, therefore God gave them knowledge and tremendous skill which enabled them to become ten times better than all of the magicians, astrologers and everyone else that was of the world. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were the same 3 musketeers who worked for Nebuchadnezzar, when he commanded everyone to bow down to his golden image or else they would be thrown into the fiery furnace. When Nebuchadnezzar found out that these three brave young men did not serve his strange gods, nor would they worship his golden image, they stood in his face and boldly declared this to be true by telling him that they will not even discuss serving those other gods and that the Lord would deliver them out of the fiery furnace. As the story goes, when they escape the furnace, they are left unharmed without any burns because God was in the fire with them as the fourth man while the men that threw them in were destroyed. When Daniel himself was in the Lions' Den, he continued to stand strong in the midst of Lions by standing on his faith in God to deliver him out of the den. These are but a few examples of people who took a stand for God in the face of opposition and they were identified based on their stand. This remnant that I am referring to is the same one that will stand strong just like these examples I have used to do battle with the enemy. Currently, we live in a culture that is backwards and it is going to take people who have been empowered by God to take authority over the devil and take over their communities, bring families together and most importantly make an impact to advance the kingdom. The only way that we can do that is to dedicate ourselves to Christ and his Word so that it abides in us and we abide in him. We must not be squeezed in and be conformed by this toxic worldly system and of our culture but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, so that we can find that perfect will of God which comes through practicing holiness and righteousness. It may sound cheesy to some people but that makes a huge difference because these are the very things that can clean up the stains of sin and unrighteousness in our world today. If you have nothing to stand for, you will fall for anything.
Exodus 23:24-
-Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.
Revelation 12:17
-And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Other References:Daniel 1:5-9, 12-17, 20, Daniel 3:11-16, Daniel 6:20-23, Daniel 7:25-26, John 15:7, Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 6:17, 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8, 1 Peter 2:9,
Have a Tremendously Blessed New Year,
Vaughn Resper, Jr.
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