Be Ready for the Potholes Ahead

Psalms 23:1-3 ESV

 

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

    He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

    He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

    for his name's sake.”

 

My Lord is my counselor, my guide, my helper. He shows me the way that I am to walk. He teaches me what is best for me, and he warns me of danger, too, and of potholes (difficulties, small valleys, low points, dark times) ahead. He takes good care of me. He is my all sufficiency.

 

No matter what I am going through, he is with me. For, he lives inside of me, by his Spirit. He is always there encouraging, strengthening, and ministering to my spirit. He brings peace to my troubled heart, and he restores me when the enemy attempts to take me out.

 

He leads me in the way of righteousness, to living my life according to his truth, and according to what is moral, good, just, upright, honorable, honest, and decent. And all this is for his glory and for my good, that I should honor him with my life by doing what is pleasing to him.

 

Psalms 23:4 ESV

 

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

    I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

    your rod and your staff,

    they comfort me.”

 

Even though I have gone, am going, and/or will be going through difficult times to test my faith, I don’t have to be afraid of what lies ahead, for my Lord is with me, inside of me, strengthening, encouraging, counseling, and comforting me all the way.

 

I don’t have to fear evil, for evil has no real power over me since I am trusting the Lord with my life, and I am committed to following Jesus, and because God gives me the strength, courage, and determination that I need to keep following him despite all opposition.

 

Yes, Satan can do evil against us. Humans can do evil against us. We will face trials, troubles, and hardships in this life. But our God is sovereign over all. Nothing can happen but what he allows it, and he has a purpose for it. It doesn’t mean he causes it, but he uses our trials to grow us in him.

 

Psalms 23:5-6 ESV

 

“You prepare a table before me

    in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil;

    my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

    all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord

    forever.”

 

My Lord provides all that I need, not necessarily all that I think I need, though. And he doesn’t always provide it well in advance, either. Sometimes the provisions, whether material or spiritual, are there just at the moment I need them and not before. This teaches me to rely on him.

 

He does this in the presence of my enemies, in the presence of those who are against me, who are opposed to me. And he does this to show them that I am his, and that he has his hand on my life, and that I am doing his will, though I am certainly not perfect, but I am not knowingly disobeying him.

 

My Lord blesses my life with his goodness and mercy on a daily basis. I am not rich in the things of this world, at least not by American standards, but I am rich in faith because God loves me, and he saved me from my slavery to sin so that I can now serve him with my life.

 

He has blessed me by calling me to his service, though I am so unworthy in and of myself. For, I did nothing to earn or to deserve his love for me. He loved me while I was still deep in sin, but then he rescued me, and he put a new song in my heart, and he gave me a new purpose in life.

 

Because I am the Lord’s, and he is my Lord, and I am following him with my life, his goodness and his mercy will go with me all the days of my life. So far he has given me 71 years on this earth. And I have no idea how many more he plans to give me. So, every day I praise him for another day.

 

We, as the body of Christ, are His house. We are his temple. He dwells within us and we live in him. And we must remain in him and in his word, and we must abide in him until the very end of our lives. And at the end of our lives, we will then be with him forever. Amen! Praise the Lord!

 

When I Go Home

 

By G. M. Eldridge

 

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes…” Revelation 21:4

 

In the moment He appears

And the light from heaven shines,

I’ll forget ev’ry fear,

Ev’ry pain I’ll leave behind.

Then I’ll see Him as He is

And I’ll know Him as I’m known.

Ev’ry tear wiped away when I go home.

 

Ever present is the tho’t

That a moment waits for me

When unworthy as I am,

His glory I will see.

I will empty all my praise

Before my Father’s throne.

Ev’ry tear wiped away when I go home.

 

If the trial I endure,

And your presence I can’t find,

Be near me, Lord, I pray,

Bring back unto my mind

That your promises are firm

And I’m never on my own.

Ev’ry tear wiped away when I go home.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z98Zvr1CyXg

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