Psalms 23-25

Why? Because THE LORD is my Shepherd. A shepherd’s duties include feeding the sheep, finding pasture and water, grooming, leading, teaching, searching after the lost and PROTECTING them.

Our Shepherd, Jesus, is the Master of the universe. He has the Heavenly Host of angels at His command. He watches over us with an all-seeing eye and jealously guards over every step we take. Who could ask for anything more?

Doubting His protection ability is like fearing that your bed will collapse every night when you lay down.

Psalms 19-22

Christ felt forsaken when He was on the cross. You could be going through a trial … feeling like you are painfully on a cross of affliction. In Psalm 22, we prophetically read about a Dying Shepherd Who felt great pain and sorrow. Isaiah said He was “acquainted with grief, a Man of Sorrows.”

Christ went through it so we could stand it. He feels your pain. He can relate. Have you been forsaken and hurt by supposed loved ones? Are you experiencing physical pain and affliction that you don’t deserve. Christ did. He did it for you.

“Take My yoke upon you and learn of me. Come to me and you will find rest for your souls.” {Matt. 11:28, 29]

Psalms 15-18

Amazingly, a meek shepherd boy from Bethlehem became famous for his military victories. David’s reputation provided many years of security for the nation. Where did he learn war? He was God’s student while upon the hillsides watching sheep. God showed him how to whip the lion and the bear. Then God pitted him against the most formidable opponent of the time … Goliath. David conquered the giant in a non-traditional way … with a rock.

God has given to us the ability to be victorious over every foe we encounter. Instead of a small rock hurled from a sling-shot, we have the Rock, Christ Jesus, Who can subdue ANY FOE.

If there is any person from the Old Testament that we want to be like, it’s David. Christ quoted more often from David than any other author. This is a good reason to read the Psalms often. For many years I sang through 5 Psalms a day. It provided a firm foundation for my ministry as a worship leader.

Psalms 7-14

The Psalmist disclosed that God sits in His Heaven and examines closely the lives of all men. He watches the Godly and ungodly. Their ways are recorded. Nothing escapes His eye. It’s foolish to think there is no God and that a day of reckoning is not coming.

The fear of the Lord includes living with an awareness that God IS watching, and that we are wise to please Him with our daily lives. He has given us a conscience to probe our hearts when we depart from His Ways.

Concerning our defense; weapons may be formed against us, but they won’t prosper. If we give more concern to the devices of our enemies, we are NOT properly fearing the Lord. Hence, we are putting our enemy’s power over God’s. That’s a form of idolatry.

Psalm 1-6

David had enemies, but found protection in the Lord. His first course of action when troubled was to call upon the name of the Lord. He described God’s protection as being spread over him as a shield.

God’s protection is one of the many benefits extended to those who trust Him. When we walk in His protection we can apply all our energy to obeying Him and doing deeds of service. We won’t fear what man can do to us.

Job 38-42

God eventually rewards Job for his suffering with twice as much blessing as his former life. God also reproves his friends who give him unwise counsel and judgemental attitude. Job exhibited extreme patience and seemed wait for God to redeem him in the end.

When life throws us distress and heartache, we should do likewise … patiently endure with the strength God gives and trust Him to work everything out. His reward is well worth it.

Job 32-35

Job declared the innocence of his life and God essentially verified it in His dialogue with the devil. His friends couldn’t believe he was that pure a man because they were well acquainted with the trials of humanity. Indeed, he was a rare man.

Life defiles us. Influences attack from all sides, and only a rare person who has been very guarded or secluded has a chance to survive unscathed.

The answer for a Christian? … the indwelling, sanctifying life of Christ, the leading of the Holy Spirit, and God’s Word that purifies our hearts if we’ll let it. His Holy Spirit will guide us away from temptation and Christ’s blood cleanses our hearts when they’re stained by sin. “All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.” “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Job 28-31

Because of his age and his suffering, Job did nothing but complain to his friends and God. He lamented that he had lost the health of his youth. He felt he incurred unwarranted tragedy, undeserved because of what a good, moral person he had been. He gave voice to his grievance.

We are encouraged to consider Job’s end rather than his beginning and middle life. God repaid to him for all the suffering he experienced. Nevertheless, we should live our lives without the complaining because we read in God’s Word about our eternal reward. Even if our personal life never gets rewarded for our hardship, we have an eternal reward awaiting us. God will not be our debtor.

Where would you rather have your paycheck … here in this life or in our heavenly life? (Actually, we will probably get rewarded in both!)

Job 23-27

We are told the intelligence community is recording and logging much about our daily lives. Google and Alexa listen to our conversations. Our emails are being recorded. Facial recognition software can hauntingly follow us throughout our day. Satellites watch our movements.

How much more does the God of heaven exercise his intelligence capabilities which exponentially exceed that of man. Job declares that God observes the ways of every person. He is keeping book. Some in their ignorance vainly attempt to conceal their evil ways.

Only by the blood and sacrificial death of Christ can all our misdeeds be deleted. God then only sees that we have been made clean by the salvation made possible by His Son’s death.

Job 18-22

Today we remember Dr. Martin Luther King. Albeit he had some moral flaws, he impacted our nation with his non-violent protesting. He and his followers would march and speak out against the unjustified persecution of people of color. Famous for his “I Have A Dream” speech at the nation’s Capitol, he had an impact on the lives of many.

Paul warns us against physical violence when he says, “The weapons of our warfare are NOT CARNAL.” Rather, we rely upon the mighty weapons of prayer and praise. Initially, we praise God for His greatness and we thank Him for His help. Then we present our specific requests to Him through our prayer and intercession. This is the fruitful activity we can and should participate in rather than any message we can send through physical violence or conflict.

Sadly, MLK’s life was ended by the bullet of a violent man.