Psalm 23- a different perspective

Yesterday, i had the honor to be sharing on the pulpit and for the past week of preparations, I could not even sleep in the late nights... even the very last night before the day I have to preached.

God showed me Psalm 23 in a very different angle that I broke it down to 3 parts.

¹THE LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack.

²He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters.

³He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him--not for my earning it, but] for His name's sake.

Verse 1-3 shows me the life of a child where the child simply trusting his father. Not the knowing of knowledge but its part of the package of the relationship. If the child is standing at the side of the swimming pool and dad is telling the child to jump and very natural the child knows that dad will catch him, he leaped into the arms of his dad. That's like a child-like faith.

When we first know God, our prayers are simple and seem to be answered very quickly too... then came verse 4 first line

⁴Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death,

The true life test ... the reality of life challenges slips into life. At the garden of gethsemane, Jesus faced the ultimate challenge also his mission, He prayed 3 times to the Father to have it remove...

v39 "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."

v42 He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."

v44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

It is totally fine and cool to express your feelings when you face challenges. Just like Jesus did but He know and know the will of the Father's is the best plan for Him. And i believe because He knew Ps23:4b-6

I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me.

⁵You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my [brimming] cup runs over.

⁶Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place.

There's Victory in every trials because of the promises of God.

Remember the road to be crucified, Jesus was carrying His cross and fell. Then the guard ordered, someone among the crowd to help Jesus to carry the cross.

God reminds us that it is alright to fall during the process of carrying our cross - trials. God will send someone to come alongside with us to help us to carry our cross.

When Jesus was crucified on the cross, he cried out

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Matt 27:46

There was total silent from Heaven. There are times where God can be silent because He is stretching us.

³Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance.

⁴And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and ^{d]" style="line-height: 0.5em; ">[d]}tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of]joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation.

⁵Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.

Just like a bow and arrow. God wants us to reach our destiny - bull's eye. In order to let the arrow hit the bull's eye at a distant, we need to pull the arrow back and tighten the rubber. There is a need to stretch. Test and trials in life stretches us. God has already prepared the table of feast waiting for us to arrive after crossing through each valley of darkness.

"Because you got a double dose of trouble

and more than your share of contempt,

Your inheritance in the land will be doubled

and your joy go on forever."

Isa61:7 (Msg)

Now for each valley of darkness i'm about to walk through, I know there will be a double inheritance and joy that go on forever...

Tell your double dose of trouble, " come and I look forward to inherit my double dose of blessings and there is such great joy overflowing within me that I will and able to face the valley of darkness.

AMEN!!!