The LORD Is My Shepherd: [2] Provision A Four-Part Series on Psalm 23 Psalm 23:2-3

Psalm 23:1-3 [ESV] 1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

WHAT ARE COMMON HINDRANCES TO EXPERIENCING GOD’S GUIDANCE? WRONG EXPECTATION: We can’t experience God’s guidance unless we have right view of what God’s goodness looks like.  “Green grass & silent waters” do NOT mean absence of problems.  God’s guidance meet all our needs—hence, “rest” is more dependent on our inner state than outer circumstances. DISTRUST: We can’t experience God’s guidance unless we trust that God will always lead us with goodness and mercy.  When we distrust God’s guidance, we become “self-shepherds.”  Trust will cause us to “lie down” in resting vs. wrestling. STUBBORN SELF-WILL: We can’t experience God’s unless we submit to God’s guidance.  In our stubborn self-will, we choose to lead rather than to be led.  If we insist our own way, we tell our shepherd what to do.

WHAT ARE THE KEYS TO EXPERIENCING GOD’S DAILY GUIDANCE? 1)To experience God’s guidance, we must first realize that God wants to lead us in everyday life. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (vs.2-3)  The Shepherd wants to guide us even before we desire it.  The Shepherd wants to guide us even when we do not desire it.  The Shepherd does NOT give up on his sheep—God will discipline us when we go astray.  Therefore, we ought to realize how relentlessly God wants to guide us in our everyday life.

“I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD.” Ezekiel 14:14-15 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Psalm 32:8

WHAT ARE THE KEYS TO EXPERIENCING GOD’S DAILY GUIDANCE? 2)To experience God’s guidance, we must trust that the Shepherd leads us with goodness and mercy. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (vs.2-3)  David’s confidence was from his experiential knowledge of God—goodness and mercy in God’s guidance!  Trusting in God’s guidance/provision will enable us to “lie down” [= rest] wherever the Shepherd leads us.  God restores our soul by grace—puts us back on our feet.  Therefore, true rest comes from resting in God’s goodness and mercy for us in every circumstance.

The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. Psalm 19:7 7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, 9 where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years.” Hebrews 3:7-9

WHAT ARE THE KEYS TO EXPERIENCING GOD’S DAILY GUIDANCE? 3)To experience God’s guidance, we must surrender to the ultimate purpose of the Shepherd’s leading. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (vs.2-3)  THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE of the Shepherd's leading is beyond meeting my needs—it is to lead me to righteous living; in so doing, he puts his honor on the line.  How valuable am I in Christ? God’s glory and honor is displayed on my life—God makes me righteous in his will.  If we become defiant, we grieve the Shepherd and we lose the opportunity to give glory to God.  Therefore, we are to look to God’s purpose and follow his leading as he guides to the paths of righteousness.

22 "Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. Ezekiel 36:22, 25-27

All the Way My Savior Leads Me by Fanny Crosby (1875) All the way my Savior leads me; What have I to ask beside? Can I doubt His tender mercy, Who through life has been my Guide? Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort, Here by faith in Him to dwell! For I know, whate’er befall me, Jesus doeth all things well; For I know, whate’er befall me, Jesus doeth all things well.

All the Way My Savior Leads Me by Fanny Crosby (1875) All the way my Savior leads me, Cheers each winding path I tread; Gives me grace for every trial, Feeds me with the living Bread. Though my weary steps may falter, And my soul athirst may be, Gushing from the Rock before me, Lo! A spring of joy I see; Gushing from the Rock before me, Lo! A spring of joy I see.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE 1.Remove YOUR OWN HINDRANCES to God’s guidance TODAY.  Throw away your distorted view of rest and goodness.  Deal with your distrust and stubborn self-will. 2.TRUST AND FOLLOW God’s guidance in all areas of your life.  Follow God’s guidance with full trust.  Obey God’s guidance and direction without delay. 3.Surrender yourself to THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE OF YOUR SHEPHERD.  Realize that God’s purpose and will is the best plan for your life.  Be sensitive to the leading of the Shepherd through Scripture and the voice of the Spirit.