3 Important Words From Psalm 23

Psalm 23: 1-3  (King James Version)

The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

When we think of David as a shepherd we immediately have a vision 

of our Lord Jesus Christ....The Good Shepherd of our souls.

                                                         

There are several thoughts that stand out to me in these words from this wonderful Psalm.  I would like to share them with you.

They are based on the words:         He MAKETH

                                                              He LEADETH

                                                       and           He RESTORETH

There is the thought of MASTERY.

"He MAKETH ME to lie down in green pastures."  

Sheep do not lie down wherever and whenever they please.  The lie down when and where the shepherd see fit.  The shepherd is the master of the sheep.

Jesus is the great shepherd

 and master of the soul!

                                     

To try and live independently of Him is a lonely and hazardous life.

The person who rejects and refuses to allow Jesus to be Lord and Master of their life and says "I am my own master" is the person who is making a shipwreck of their life.  No man is fit to be their own master.  The Psalmist David is saying here:  "The Lord is my shepherd and master of my life.."

Even people who have lived good lives, if they have lived it apart from Jesus Christ it has all been in vain.  

We have only one life and it will soon be past....

only what is done for Christ will last. 

There is a mastery which is brutal and degrading to a person....such as the mastery of the devil. BUT, to be mastered by Jesus is to be mastered by divine love.  This kind of mastery is uplifting and rewarding.  

Eternal life in the house of the Lord forever 

awaits the soul who is mastered by Jesus!

There is also the thought of LEADERSHIP

in these words "He LEADETH ME beside still waters."  

Jesus is the leader of the soul 

who always leads to peace! 

There is no real peace outside of Jesus Christ.  You can search the world over but no real peace can be found apart from the peace of God.  This peace will only come when you make peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  

He is the only master of the soul that will give you peace.....a peace that passes all understanding.

The devil and the world have nothing to offer but turmoil and unrest. 

But, Jesus says, "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.  (Matthew 11:28)

And in John 14:1 He says, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me."

Lastly I would like to share with you from the words of the Psalmist, 

"He RESTORETH MY SOUL"..... the thought of RESTORATION.

David knew from personal experience what these words meant.  

As you remember, David had a life of multiple mistakes and transgressions against God. But, David's soul was restored.  If you are reading these words and you have gotten away from God, know that restoration is available for your soul.

                                                       

Let the love of God and the love of The Master take mastery over your soul and life today.  Give everything over to Him and surrender to His heavenly leadership.  

You will find restoration!  

You can only be restored by Jesus Christ - The Master of the soul.  

  Won't you accept Him today?

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

Psalm 23

What a delight to share these original handwritten sermon notes 

from the late Rev. David A. Raynor Sr.

The Lord Is My Shepherd 

In The MIDST Of The Storm

Scripture:

Matthew 14:22-33  (KJV)

"22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God."

Some folks get the mistaken idea that this Christian life is always smooth sailing. 
But, you sure can’t use this passage of scripture to prove it.  
These scriptures show us the Lords followers 

in the midst of a storm.

I’ve heard it preached that the storms only come to those who are out of the will of God.  They use Jonah as an example.  (The Book of Jonah - 4 chapters) He didn’t want to go to Nineveh as the Lord had directed him.  Jonah disobeyed, he ran from the will of God and found himself in a great storm that the Lord sent his way.  There is no doubt about it – storms do come when we find ourselves out of the will of God.  BUT – not all storms come because we are out of the divine will of God.

Storms also come when we are “in” the will of God.  As we find here in the 14^th chapter of Matthew.  These disciples were in the will of God.  They were where they were in obedience to Jesus.  They were doing exactly what He told them to do. 

And yet, they found themselves

 in the midst of a storm. 

No one is exempt from the storms.  "The Lord makes the Sun to rise on the evil and on the good.  The rain falls on the just and on the unjust." ( Matthew 5:45)                                                                  But, let me tell you one thing, when the storms do come I want to know that Jesus is my Savior and my Lord.  That is what makes the difference!  Amen? 

Let’s notice the ministry of Jesus in the times of storm….times of testing and trails.  Verse 23 says that when He had sent them away He departed into a mountain to pray.  While the disciples were battling the winds, waves and the elements of bad weather Jesus was praying for them.  He told Simon Peter in Luke 22:31-32, ”Satan desires to have you, to sift you as wheat but I have prayed for thee that they faith fail not."

The Bible teaches us that He is our great High priest, touched with the feelings of our infirmities. (Hebrews 4:14-15)  He intercedes for us at the right hand of God the Father.  Let me tell you, He sees and understands what we go through in our lives.  

He knows and He cares.  

He loves us.  

He prays for us.

                                                                                  

Not only does He pray for us, He comes to us. Verse 25 says “in the 4^th watch of the night sometime between 3am and 6am Jesus went out to check on them.  (Did you ever notice, it always seems to get darkest just before the dawn?)  Jesus went to them walking on the water.  Jesus comes to us in the times of storm, in the times of darkness, and in our times of need.  He not only prays for us and takes us on His heart.  But – He does come to us!

 He is never too early

He is never too late.

He is always right on time.

Jesus prays for us.

Jesus comes to us.

Not only that, He ministers to us.

Verse 27 says, “He came walking on the water to them and they were afraid. “ 
But, Jesus ministered to them – saying unto them, “Be of good cheer.  It is I, be not afraid!”

Notice……..He came to them walking on the water.  
He came to them walking upon the very thing they feared.  
We serve a Lord who is over ALL and walks over ALL of our circumstances.  

ALL things are under His feet.  

He comes to us walking over our sickness, over our trials, over our storms, over our failures, over it ALL. 

The Bible says in Nahum 1:3, ("..........the clouds are the dust of His feet.” 

He is Lord of all!

He is Master of every situation.

He prays for us

He comes to us

He ministers to us

And  - where His presence is there is His power.

Peter said, “if it be you Lord bid me comes unto you. (Verse 28)

Jesus said, “Come.”

On the WORD of God, Peter in the midst of the storm put his fears under his feet and walked on the thing he had feared.  He walked on it.  Instead of being under the circumstances he was over them   ……..by stepping out on the authority of God’s WORD.

                                                                                  

As Christians, we live in Him.  We are in Christ.   Acts 17:28 says, "In Him we live and move and have our being." We are His body. (Ephesians 5:30 and 1 Corinthians 12:27)                                What is under His feet is under our feet!  

In Him we are victors.  

In Him we are more than conquerors.!(Romans 8:37)

Hallelujah!

Christ is ministering to you and I today.  He says to “Come.” 
He asks us to “Obey His Word.” (Luke 11:28)  
Put your fears and your obstacle under your feet today.  Walk on the water. 
Don’t be under your circumstances!  However, understand that we are all under command.  We are to step out upon His Word and see miracles happen.

                                                                             

God’s power is seen in the midst of the storm. 

In the midst of the storm  Peter walked on the water.  
He walked on his fears.  He was above the circumstances.

Many people like to talk about Peter sinking.  Peter didn’t sink.  The scripture says that Peter began to sink and called on the Lord.     Jesus set him to walking on the water again.  “And when they were come into the still the winds ceased.” (KJV)
                                                                             

I’ll say again………..when the storms come, I want to know that Jesus is my Savior and my Lord.  

How about you? 

The devil has a plan.  He is out to destroy you and I.  

He comes to steal, kill and destroy

but, Jesus Christ came to give us life – eternal.

It is in the storms that we recognize the power of God.  We "see" God’s great ability to do ALL things.

Let me close with this thought from Verse 33.  The storm resulted in worship and praise. 
Then they were in the ship they worshipped Him and praised Him…….saying of a truth that “thou art the Son of God.”  The storm they had just experienced brought them to the place of worship and praise.  

They realized and recognized His worth.  

They “witnessed” His great presence and power 

and “saw” Him worthy to be praised.

                         

Do you know that Jesus is your Savior and is He your Lord?

If not, I invite you to open your heart today and ask Him in.  

He bids you to "Come."

Preached in Avon, North Carolina  6/11/1983

Preparing For The Storm

                                          

Scripture:
Mark 13:28-37  (KJV)
"28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:

29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.

30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.

31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

34 For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch."

During the summer months we frequently hear about a Hurricane Watch or a Hurricane Warning.     "A great storm is coming....prepare for the storm."      In the passage of scripture just read, Jesus is giving a warning of a great storm approaching.  Verse 37 - the text for the message - says, "And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch."                                      

Be sober,

Be on guard,

Keep awake!

As storms develop and move toward the United States, all eyes and ears are glued to televisions and radio weather monitors.  As the dangers increase, preparations and precautions are taken.  We become alert and aware.  We follow the directions of the officials.  It is clear from The Word of God that the whole world is headed into the storm of all storms....The Great Tribulation...The Day of The Lord.   The children of God, the born-again believer is, of course, concerned about "staying ready" for the rapture of the church.  Why?  Because, the blood-washed, saints of God shall be delivered from that great hurricane or the tornado of God's wrath.                                                                            "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ."  (1 Thessalonians 5:9)  This does not mean that God's people are exempt from turmoil, trouble and upheaval of the stormy weather that will precede and come ahead of the great storm itself.  Before the "eye of the storm" passes over a certain location there are howling gales of wind, blinding driven rains and floods of high tide and water.

                                                                      

To me, this is where we are - prophetically and spiritually speaking.  We are on the fringe of the great tempest that is coming up in this sin benighted world.  Though we rejoice in our blessed hope, which is Christ, and look forward to deliverance by the great catching up and "snatching away", the rapture, we need to "batten down" and make preparation for whatever God may allow to come our way before we hear that great shout and trumpet sound from Heaven.

Oh that people would be as concerned about making preparations and taking precautions for the storm that Jesus is warning about as they are for pending hurricanes.  We have ample warning of hurricanes approaching.  Surely we have all of the necessary warning(s) in God's Word of the great storm that is approaching on God's calendar of events.  It is "right upon us" in this age and generation.  We are already "feeling the effects" of the rapture of the church and the events that will follow.  Jesus has given us the "storm watch and the "storm warnings", time and time again in His Word.   Matthew 24:44 says,    "Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh."

We can choose to ignore the warnings and suffer the consequences...or we can make the necessary preparations, take the necessary precautions and be assured of deliverance and safety!  

There are all kinds of resources and information published on "How to Prepare for the Storm."  God has given us His Word, The Bible, a Book of complete instruction.  All we need to do is believe it, obey it - and take heed to it.  We need to carry out the orders!

                                  Here's "another twist" to the "I" of the story....  

                             Not the EYE (E-Y-E) of the storm, but the I.  (You and I).......

                                                                

Are you in the midst of a storm and upheaval?

Do you not have real peace, calmness, tranquility and true rest?

Are you walking with God or running from Him?

Are you the "I" of the storm?

                                                               

Do you remember the story of Jonah?  He admitted that he was the "I" of the storm.  In Jonah 1:12 he said, "Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you."  Jonah was running from God, not doing what he knew he really should be doing.  He was not in the place where God wanted him to be.   Are you the "I" of the storm?

When the eye dies............the storm dies!

The Jonah syndrome is always........"the I at the center of the storm."                                                 Many times self and disobedience is what keeps the storm raging on.                                   Take care of the "I" and the storm will cease!