MY SHEPHERD

 

The Lord Is My Provider

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. Psalm 23:1-3

Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!  Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:  Who forgives all your iniquities,  Who heals all your diseases,  Who redeems your life from destruction,  Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. Psalm 103:1-5

For those who trust in the LORD He is the all sufficient One, including their provider and healer.  In Psalm 23 we find the seven names of God:

1.JEHOVAH-RA

2.JEHOVAH-JIREH

3.JEHOVAH-SHALOM

4.JEHOVAH- TSIDKNELL

5.JEHOVAH-NISSI

6.JEHOVAH-RAPHEGA

7.JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH

In verse we have  The Lord is My Shepherd- "SHEPHERD"-JEHOVAH-RA (Jehovah the Shepherd). If the Lord is our shepherd, then we own this Psalm 23 as ours.  And as our LORD He forgives all our iniquities,  heals all our diseases,  redeems our life from destruction,  crowns us with lovingkindness and tender mercies,  and satisfies our mouth with good things, so that our youth is renewed like the eagle's. When the Lord is our Shepherd, we don't lack in anything. HE is  our Provider - JEHOVAH-JIREH. God’s word is true:

Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.  And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" So he said, "Here I am."  And He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me." Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, "In the Mount of The LORD it shall be provided." Genesis 22:9-14

Whatever we need God will provide. He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? We shall not want… JEHOVAH-JIREH (JEHOVAH is our Provider). When we know the Lord as our 'Shepherd'  He will be our provider, all sufficient-one. Therefore, we shall not lack or want anything because nothing is impossible with God

And because JEHOVAH- SHALOM, The-LORD-Is-Peace,  He makes us to lie down in green pastures; He leads us beside the still waters. The sheep are very happy. Lying down in Green pastures and still waters (not turbulent waters) all speak of peaceful conditions. God’s word tells us that Isreal was in turbulent condition. The Midianites surrounded them. At that time, they cried. God gave a deliverer called 'GIDEON'. The Word of God records:

Then the LORD said to him, "Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die."  So Gideon built an altar there to the LORD, and called it The-LORD-Is-Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. Judges 6:23-24

'Behold, the days are coming,' says the LORD, 'that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah: 'In those days and at that time I will cause to grow up to David A Branch of righteousness; He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In those days Judah will be saved, And Jerusalem will dwell safely.  And this is the name by which she will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.' Jeremiah 33:14-16

The American Heritage Dictionary defines the word “saved” as:

Save v. saved, sav·ing, saves. --tr. 1.a. To rescue from harm, danger, or loss. b. To set free from the consequences of sin; redeem. 2. To keep in a safe condition; safeguard. 3. To prevent the waste or loss of; conserve.

The word Salvation-soteria is defined in the bible as being established in "protection, preservation, prosperity, promotions, provisions, soundness, healing, deliverance and the ministry of angels." But salvation is a personal thing. It comes as we put our trust in the name of the person who is called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, our Lord, and receive the new birth and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. As we receive not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God we become a spiritual being where we now have the mind of Christ.  Through the Holy Spirit, the other Helper, the Guide, the Counselor, we receive and begin to know the things that have been freely given to us by God. We are now led and guided in all things - trusting the Holy Spirit just like Jesus did.

Yes, Jesus Christ is our Salvation and He rescues us from harm, danger or loss, He keeps us in a safte condition and prevents the waste or loss of things for us as we abide under the shadow of the Almighty. God’s word is true:

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler  And from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. Psalm 91:1-4

No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over you,  To keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation." Psalm 91:10-16

THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS…JEHOVAH-TSIDKENILL. Hence He restores my soul;  He leads us in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. He delivers us and honor us and satisfies us with long life and shows us His salvation.

And then we have JEHOVAH- NISSI – The-LORD-Is-My-Banner  or God My Standard of Victory.

Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim.  And Moses said to Joshua, "Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand."  So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.  But Moses' hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.  So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.  Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven."  And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-LORD-Is-My-Banner; Exodus 17:8-15

 Yea, 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. Psalm 23:4

The Amalekites came against the Israelites after they crossed the Red sea. But when Moses went up the Mountain Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands  Joshua defeated the Amalekite with the edge of the sword. As we pray in the Spirit and stand on the word of God, Our Lord who suffered on the cross and His hands were lifted up with two nails, we will defeat Satan through our Heavenly Joshua, even through our Lord the HOLY SPIRIT for the LORD Is Our Banner our Victory. His word is unchanging:

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith. 1 John 5:4

And because of His anointing we shall know JEHOVAH- RAPHEGA - The Lord the healer. He turns the bitterness of life into sweetness. God’s word is true:

Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah.  And the people complained against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?"  So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them. And there He tested them, and said, "If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you." Exodus 15:26

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;  You anoint my head with oil;  My cup runs over. Psalm 23:5

Yes the Lord is our healer of all things that the enemies of life bring upon us be it physical sickness, broken hearts, inner hurts or disappointments. God’s word is true:

When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick,  that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:  "He Himself took our infirmities  And bore our sicknesses." Matthew 8:16-17

 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever. Psalm 23: 5

"All the way around shall be eighteen thousand cubits; and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD Is THERE." Ezekiel 48:35

The Lord will be with us forever. He is a very present help in time of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. For there is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,  The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;  God shall help her, just at the break of dawn (Psalm 46:1-5). His word is unchanging:

"The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you;  The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,  And give you peace." Number 6:24-26

"And He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your land, your grain and your new wine and your oil, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flock, in the land of which He swore to your fathers to give you. "You shall be blessed above all peoples; there shall not be a male or female barren among you or among your livestock. "And the LORD will take away from you all sickness, and will afflict you with none of the terrible diseases of Egypt which you have known, but will lay them on all those who hate you. Deuteronomy 7:13-15