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>>John Bradshaw: This is It
Is Written. I'm John Bradshaw.
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Thanks for joining me.
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I was raised around sheep.
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Now, where I lived it was
dairy farming that was dominant,
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but sheep were common.
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One day my father
came home with a lamb.
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It was a little bit yellow
so he named him Sweet Corn.
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We had a large yard, so there
was plenty of room for the lamb,
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but we kept him
tethered on a long line,
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at least as I remember it.
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From time to time we'd let
him off to wander and roam.
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Sweet Corn loved seeing us.
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He'd come to greet us,
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typically because he
thought we had food for him.
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Sweet Corn grew, as lambs grow,
and one day I came home from
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school and
noticed the lamb was gone.
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As soon as Dad
came home from work
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I asked him about Sweet Corn.
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Now, Dad
explained that Sweet Corn
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was getting a little too
big, so Sweet Corn needed to go.
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A farmer was looking after him.
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Everything had been
taken care of and I thought,
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okay, well, fair enough.
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He was getting big.
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We missed Sweet Corn, but it's
not like he was a cat or a dog,
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so we got over
it before too long.
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And, and then one day,
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I'm helping my mother
getting something out of
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the chest freezer and I noticed,
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I noticed all this
meat in the freezer.
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I asked my mother, “Mum, where
did all the meat come from?”
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And the look in
her eyes said it all.
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She didn't even need to answer.
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I said, “Sweet Corn?”
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Sweet Corn, it seems
hadn't really left after all.
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At least, he did
leave for a while,
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but then he came back
in a rather different form.
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And that's the
grim reality, really,
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for most farm
animals or farm-type animals.
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They're raised to be
slaughtered, ultimately.
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And one, you can choose to
debate the morality of that or
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the health implications of that,
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that's not where
I'm going right now.
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Instead, we are
continuing with our series,
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“Great Chapters of the Bible”
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and we're looking at a
chapter that deals with sheep,
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or, more specifically,
it deals with a shepherd.
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¤(Music)¤
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It's Psalm 23 where God is
described as being a Shepherd
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who has much
different plans for His sheep
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than my father
had for Sweet Corn.
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God wants the best for us
and Psalm 23 makes that clear.
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It's one of the most well-known
passages of the Bible,
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often recited or
read at funerals.
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It's just a short
Psalm, only six verses,
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and it's easy to miss the
power and the depth it contains.
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So, let's look
together at Psalm 23,
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and then we'll
go back through it
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and see what we can learn
from it in our time together.
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Psalm 23, starting in verse 1.
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The Bible says,
“The Lord is my Shepherd;
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I shall not want.
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He makes me to lie
down in green pastures;
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He leads me
beside the still waters.
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He restores my soul; He leads
me in the paths of righteousness
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for His name's sake.
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“Yea, though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death,
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I will fear no
evil; for You are with me;
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Your rod and Your
staff, they comfort me.
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“You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
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You anoint my head
with oil; my cup runs over.
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Surely goodness and mercy shall
follow me all the days of my
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life; and I will dwell in
the house of the Lord forever.”
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The 23rd Psalm
was written by David.
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It might just be
the most well-known
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and well-loved of
all of the 150 Psalms.
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You could say it's
divided into three parts.
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It deals with God's
provision and loving kindness,
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the protection God
gives, and then it presents God
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as a gracious Host showering
blessings on His people.
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Notice with me
how the Psalm starts.
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In fact, if all
you had was verse 1,
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you'd have just about
all you need for anything.
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It says, “The Lord is my
Shepherd; I shall not want.”
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Now think about that with me.
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“The Lord is my
Shepherd; I shall not want.”
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Who is my shepherd?
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The Lord.
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The Lord is what?
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The Lord is my Shepherd.
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And, therefore, what?
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I shall not want.
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It's interesting that this
Psalm is written by a shepherd.
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Or at least someone
who was a former shepherd.
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A shepherd, just
so we can be clear,
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is a sheep herder, a
guardian, a protector,
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a guide of sheep.
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Sheep were important
to the owner of the sheep
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and so the shepherd was
tasked with protecting them.
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Not only that, the shepherd
had to find food for the sheep,
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something that wasn't
always easy in Israel.
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Israel is dry, rocky,
brown for the most part.
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It's not an easy place to
raise and provide for sheep.
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It's difficult to
find good supplies of food.
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The shepherd's
job was important.
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Without the shepherd,
the sheep would perish.
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They'd be at the
mercy of predators.
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Sheep aren't
equipped to fight back.
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They can be taken
by dogs or by coyotes.
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Little lambs can be
picked up by large birds.
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And back in David's time
there were bears and lions
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that would harm the flock.
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No shepherd meant no sheep,
or dead sheep before very long.
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Sheep are vulnerable creatures.
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They don't run fast.
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They don't have
sharp teeth or claws.
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Rams may have horns,
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but that just raises
another point about sheep.
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They can be really hardheaded.
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The role of the
shepherd was absolutely vital
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to the survival of the sheep,
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especially in an area where
the sheep weren't behind fences.
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Usually they
roamed in search of food.
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The land wasn't fenced
off when David wrote this,
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and David understood all of this
when he wrote the 23rd Psalm.
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Verse 1 again.
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“The Lord is my shepherd.”
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Now, let's leave
it there for now.
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Who is the shepherd?
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It's important to
understand that David wrote
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that Yahweh was his Shepherd.
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“Yahweh is my
Shepherd; I shall not want.”
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In the Bible there are
many names for God used.
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Genesis 1, verse 1,
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“In the beginning Elohim created
the heaven and the earth.”
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Psalm 91, “He who dwells in the
secret place of the Most High
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shall abide under the
shadow of the Almighty,”
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which is El
Shaddai, God Almighty.
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Genesis 22:14, Abraham
called the name of that place
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Jehovah Jireh,
the Lord with provide.
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Exodus 17:15, “And
Moses built an altar
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and called the name of it,
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Jehovah Nissi,
The-Lord-is-my-Banner.”
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But Psalm 23 starts by
saying, “Yahweh is my Shepherd.”
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The Self-Existent One.
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The Eternal God.
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The Supreme God.
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He is the Great I Am.
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So David is saying,
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the Self-Existent
God is my Shepherd.
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How do you think that
knowledge encouraged David?
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David the shepherd boy
goes into battle against Goliath
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and he goes confident.
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He offers to
fight against Goliath
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and the king says
in First Samuel 17:33,
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“You are not able to
go against this Philistine
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to fight with him;
for you are a youth
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and he a man of
war from his youth.”
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But David recites his
experience as a shepherd.
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He explains he defended the
sheep against lions and bears,
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killing those fierce predators.
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He knew God was with him then,
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and that God
would be with him now,
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because David's
God was a big God.
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He even says, it was
Yahweh that delivered me
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out of the hand of
the lion and the bear,
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and that same Yahweh will give
me victory over this Philistine.
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Now King Saul offers
David Saul's own armor,
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but David chooses to go
into battle with just a sling
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and five stones,
one stone for Goliath
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and four extra stones for
whoever came at David next.
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He wasn't expecting the
Philistines to flee, after all.
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He said to Goliath,
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“This day Yahweh will
deliver you into my hand,”
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and that's what happened.
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David wrote Psalm 23
knowing his God was a big God,
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the Self-Existent God
who cannot be limited,
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whose power is without measure.
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David's God was big.
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He says, “I have a Shepherd,
I have someone watching over me,
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caring for me, and that Shepherd
is the God of the universe.”
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So, let me ask you.
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How big is your God?
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Big enough to
help with small things,
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but not big enough to
trust with big things?
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Big enough to forgive,
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but not big enough to
transform and to change?
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Big enough to work for others,
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but not big
enough to work for you?
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This famous Psalm
reminds us that God is God.
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There is no limit to His power
or to His mercy or to His love.
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David says,
“Yahweh is my Shepherd.”
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So?
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¤(Music)¤
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Well, what did
that mean to David.
00:09:12.71\00:09:14.82
We'll look at
that in just a moment.
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¤(Music increases and ends)¤
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¤(Music)¤
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>>Man: The pursuit of wealth has
been the ruin of many people.
00:09:27.20\00:09:29.90
God promises to bless
His people financially,
00:09:29.93\00:09:32.40
but often God's
blessings can turn into a curse.
00:09:32.43\00:09:35.30
Get your free copy
of “God Will Provide”
00:09:35.34\00:09:37.94
and learn the recipe
to financial success.
00:09:37.97\00:09:40.34
Call 800-253-3000, 800-253-3000.
00:09:40.38\00:09:46.72
You can write to the
address on your screen
00:09:46.75\00:09:48.58
or visit us
online at iiwoffer.com.
00:09:48.62\00:09:52.02
Get “God Will
Provide,” iiwoffer.com.
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¤(Music)¤
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>>Man: What does the
Bible say about astrology?
00:10:01.16\00:10:03.67
>>Man: Why do bad
things happen to good people?
00:10:08.17\00:10:11.07
>>Child: What color is Jesus?
00:10:16.64\00:10:19.15
>>John Bradshaw: If
you have a question,
00:10:19.18\00:10:20.32
we'd love to find an
answer for you from the Bible.
00:10:20.35\00:10:22.88
Line Upon Line
from “It Is Written” TV.
00:10:22.92\00:10:26.02
>>John Bradshaw: Thanks
for joining me on It Is Written
00:10:26.92\00:10:28.89
as we look at Psalm
23 in our ongoing series,
00:10:28.92\00:10:32.56
“Great Chapters of the Bible.”
00:10:32.59\00:10:34.93
These are famous
words, powerful words.
00:10:34.93\00:10:38.73
The Psalm starts
with David saying,
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“The Lord is my
Shepherd; I shall not want.”
00:10:41.17\00:10:44.67
David says the Self-Existent
Eternal God is my Shepherd,
00:10:44.71\00:10:49.94
my Protector, my
Guide, my Provider.
00:10:49.98\00:10:53.88
Knowing God is all
that to me, David says,
00:10:53.92\00:10:57.65
“I shall not
want.” I have all I need.
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I have no lack.
00:11:01.22\00:11:02.89
And you've got to
notice how David phrased this.
00:11:02.92\00:11:05.19
He didn't say, I have most
of what I need,” nor did he say,
00:11:05.23\00:11:08.13
“I shall not want much.”
00:11:08.16\00:11:10.63
He said, “I shall not
want.” I shall not be wanting.
00:11:10.67\00:11:13.97
This is complete,
total, utter trust.
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In fact, this is expectation
because God is my Shepherd,
00:11:18.64\00:11:23.98
He will provide everything
I need and I can anticipate
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that that will be so.
00:11:28.12\00:11:29.95
So, does the Bible bear
that out in other places?
00:11:29.98\00:11:32.02
Well, yes it does.
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Paul wrote to
the Philippians that,
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“My God shall supply all your
need according to His riches
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and glory by Christ Jesus.”
00:11:40.40\00:11:42.63
In Psalm 81, verse 10, God
says, “I am the Lord your God,
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who brought you out
of the land of Egypt;
00:11:47.24\00:11:50.04
open your mouth
wide, and I will fill it.”
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Jesus said in Matthew 6:33,
00:11:54.21\00:11:56.01
“But seek first the kingdom
of God and His righteousness,
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and all these things
shall be added to you.”
00:11:59.51\00:12:04.05
“I shall not want.”
00:12:04.09\00:12:05.55
Now, you don't want
to take this to mean
00:12:05.59\00:12:06.89
that God is going to
give you everything you want.
00:12:06.92\00:12:09.72
It doesn't mean you won't
have to endure the occasional
00:12:09.76\00:12:11.96
hardship or maybe
even the frequent hardship.
00:12:11.99\00:12:14.83
It doesn't mean you
won't have lean times
00:12:14.83\00:12:16.77
or struggle to pay
the bills at times.
00:12:16.80\00:12:18.80
That can happen.
00:12:18.83\00:12:20.54
Especially if we
don't follow sound practices
00:12:20.57\00:12:22.80
or follow God's leading.
00:12:22.84\00:12:24.67
But what a statement!
00:12:24.71\00:12:25.97
David's encouraging
us to go through life
00:12:26.01\00:12:28.28
trusting that God will
provide, that we won't lack.
00:12:28.31\00:12:31.71
That's big trust.
00:12:31.75\00:12:33.05
It's like the child who jumps
into his or her father's arms
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and just knows,
“Daddy will catch me.”
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Are you trusting God like that?
00:12:38.79\00:12:41.16
You can.
00:12:41.19\00:12:41.82
In fact, you should.
00:12:41.86\00:12:43.89
David's trying to get
through to us that God is God.
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He created this
massive universe.
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He designed intricate
patterns in nature, in plants.
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Instead of ¤(Music begins)¤
creating just one flower,
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or two or three,
00:12:54.87\00:12:55.84
He created what seems
like an endless variety
00:12:55.87\00:12:58.51
of beautiful
flowers for the purpose
00:12:58.54\00:13:00.74
of impressing upon us
that He is good and great.
00:13:00.78\00:13:04.55
He created animals,
short and squat animals,
00:13:04.58\00:13:08.02
really big animals,
really small animals.
00:13:08.05\00:13:11.32
Animals with long
necks or long hair.
00:13:11.35\00:13:14.49
He created cute animals
and not so cute animals.
00:13:14.52\00:13:18.89
Some He created were really
just kind of funny looking.
00:13:18.93\00:13:22.86
He's God and He loves you and
He wants the very best for you.
00:13:22.90\00:13:28.64
Now let's look together
in Psalm 23 and verse 2.
00:13:28.67\00:13:32.01
“He makes me to lie
down in green pastures;
00:13:32.04\00:13:34.98
He leads me
beside the still waters.”
00:13:35.01\00:13:37.65
You know, in
Israel, especially then,
00:13:37.68\00:13:40.75
not a lot of green pastures.
00:13:40.78\00:13:43.52
The Israeli shepherd has to
keep his or her flock of sheep
00:13:43.55\00:13:46.65
or goats on the move to find
whatever grass or plant life
00:13:46.69\00:13:50.19
can possibly be found.
00:13:50.23\00:13:52.29
Now it's true when you look
at one of those arid hillsides,
00:13:52.33\00:13:54.60
there's often more
there than meets the eye.
00:13:54.63\00:13:56.90
There'll be little
sprigs of grass here or there
00:13:56.93\00:13:59.40
that the sheep can find.
00:13:59.43\00:14:00.84
But don't get
sidetracked from the main point.
00:14:00.87\00:14:02.80
In Psalm 23, David says,
00:14:02.84\00:14:04.54
“God makes me to lie
down in green pastures.”
00:14:04.57\00:14:09.11
I'm sure when David wrote this
he thought of the many times
00:14:09.14\00:14:11.78
he struggled and
labored to find good grass
00:14:11.81\00:14:14.12
for the sheep in his care.
00:14:14.15\00:14:15.92
Not God though.
00:14:15.95\00:14:16.85
He doesn't turn
us out into a rocky,
00:14:16.89\00:14:18.85
arid field and then worry that
He'll has enough to sustain us.
00:14:18.89\00:14:22.59
God makes us to lie down in
pastures of new, fresh grass.
00:14:22.62\00:14:26.80
What do sheep need?
00:14:26.83\00:14:28.03
Food, grass, or
something very much like it.
00:14:28.06\00:14:30.17
David says, “God gives me that.”
00:14:30.20\00:14:33.80
And further, “He leads
me beside the still waters.”
00:14:33.84\00:14:37.57
I mentioned that I was
raised around sheep, sort of,
00:14:37.61\00:14:40.14
and we had sheep at times.
00:14:40.18\00:14:42.48
I was also
raised beside a river.
00:14:42.51\00:14:44.41
And from time to time
we would see dead sheep
00:14:44.45\00:14:47.72
floating down the river,
00:14:47.75\00:14:48.85
being carried
along by the current.
00:14:48.88\00:14:51.35
A shaggy sheep doesn't want to
get close to fast flowing water.
00:14:51.39\00:14:54.99
One wrong move and
that sheep gets wet
00:14:55.02\00:14:58.03
and waterlogged and
carried away to its death.
00:14:58.06\00:15:02.70
What God does is lead His
sheep beside still waters.
00:15:02.73\00:15:06.77
He refreshes us
in a place of safety.
00:15:06.80\00:15:09.90
And notice, David's view of
God is that God provides for us,
00:15:09.94\00:15:13.38
looks after our wellbeing,
00:15:13.41\00:15:14.61
and has the best in
mind for you and me.
00:15:14.64\00:15:17.85
Now let's look in
Psalm 23, verse 3.
00:15:17.88\00:15:21.05
“He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths
00:15:21.08\00:15:24.65
of righteousness
for His name's sake.”
00:15:24.69\00:15:26.69
In other words, He restores me.
00:15:26.72\00:15:28.92
That word soul is
“nephesh” in the Hebrew.
00:15:28.96\00:15:31.16
He restores me, my life, myself.
00:15:31.19\00:15:33.73
That's what God does.
00:15:33.76\00:15:35.13
You know, the whole plan of
salvation is about restoration.
00:15:35.16\00:15:38.10
We were created
in the image of God,
00:15:38.13\00:15:39.77
but sin
intervened and ruined that.
00:15:39.80\00:15:43.00
Now God is restoring us.
00:15:43.04\00:15:44.31
Big picture,
restoring us to Himself.
00:15:44.34\00:15:46.68
Smaller picture,
He restores us daily.
00:15:46.71\00:15:49.71
As Paul wrote in
Second Corinthians,
00:15:49.74\00:15:51.21
Chapter 4, “Though
our outward man perish,
00:15:51.25\00:15:54.65
yet the inward man
is renewed day by day.”
00:15:54.68\00:15:58.35
And He restores us why?
00:15:58.39\00:16:01.66
Let's find out.
00:16:01.69\00:16:02.92
“He leads me in the
paths of righteousness
00:16:02.96\00:16:06.26
for His name's sake.”
00:16:06.29\00:16:08.60
Just as a
shepherd leads the sheep,
00:16:08.63\00:16:10.63
God leads us in
paths of righteousness.
00:16:10.67\00:16:14.60
And notice why.
00:16:14.64\00:16:16.34
So that He, so that
God, can be glorified.
00:16:16.37\00:16:20.74
Jesus taught a
parable showing us the extent
00:16:20.78\00:16:23.65
to which God is willing
to go in order to do that.
00:16:23.68\00:16:26.45
He spoke of a
shepherd who had a 100 sheep.
00:16:26.48\00:16:28.82
One of them became lost.
00:16:28.85\00:16:30.69
What did the good shepherd do?
00:16:30.72\00:16:32.62
He left the 99 and
ventured out into the wilderness
00:16:32.65\00:16:37.26
to rescue the one lost sheep.
00:16:37.29\00:16:39.03
When he found it, he rejoiced.
00:16:39.06\00:16:41.73
He carried it
home on his shoulders.
00:16:41.76\00:16:44.00
Which tells you how God feels
when someone lost is found.
00:16:44.03\00:16:48.77
Now, I want you
to think about this.
00:16:48.80\00:16:51.51
The parable is not
about a lost alpaca.
00:16:51.54\00:16:55.08
It's not about a
lost cow or a lost horse.
00:16:55.11\00:16:58.91
It's about a lost sheep.
00:16:58.95\00:17:00.82
You know, you can pay millions
00:17:00.85\00:17:02.32
and millions of
dollars for a horse.
00:17:02.35\00:17:04.25
Thousands and
thousands for a cow.
00:17:04.29\00:17:07.09
Sheep, on the other hand,
they're relatively inexpensive.
00:17:07.12\00:17:10.63
Oh, for sure they're valuable
to the subsistence farmer
00:17:10.66\00:17:13.53
eking out a living in a
barren tract of the Middle East.
00:17:13.56\00:17:16.80
But at the end of
the day, they're sheep.
00:17:16.83\00:17:20.17
A farmer with a lost
sheep could easily decide
00:17:20.20\00:17:22.80
that going after one
simply isn't worth it.
00:17:22.84\00:17:26.17
And you'd understand that.
00:17:26.21\00:17:28.21
But there's
something about the shepherd.
00:17:28.24\00:17:30.15
He cares for the sheep.
00:17:30.18\00:17:31.81
They are valuable to him.
00:17:31.85\00:17:34.22
They are more than just animals.
00:17:34.25\00:17:36.38
And there's something
about the Good Shepherd.
00:17:36.42\00:17:38.82
Even if there are
billions and billions of people
00:17:38.85\00:17:40.56
on this planet,
God loves every one.
00:17:40.59\00:17:44.66
What are we worth, really?
00:17:44.69\00:17:45.89
David asked in Psalm 8, verse 4,
00:17:45.93\00:17:49.16
“What is man that
You are mindful of him,
00:17:49.20\00:17:52.40
and the son of man
that You visit him?”
00:17:52.43\00:17:55.47
Human life is pretty
lightly regarded in many places,
00:17:55.50\00:17:58.77
but God considers you so
valuable that the Good Shepherd
00:17:58.81\00:18:04.11
left heaven to
come and search for you.
00:18:04.15\00:18:08.72
I sure hope you
let Him find you.
00:18:08.75\00:18:10.75
In a moment, ¤(Music)¤
00:18:10.79\00:18:12.15
we'll go walking in the
valley of the shadow of death.
00:18:12.19\00:18:14.99
I'll be right back.
00:18:15.02\00:18:15.66
¤(Music swells and stops)¤
00:18:15.69\00:18:23.80
¤(Music)¤
00:18:25.07\00:18:26.30
>>Man: The pursuit of wealth has
been the ruin of many people.
00:18:26.33\00:18:29.10
God promises to bless
His people financially,
00:18:29.14\00:18:31.67
but often God's
blessings can turn into a curse.
00:18:31.71\00:18:35.04
Get your free copy
of “God Will Provide”
00:18:35.08\00:18:37.41
and learn the recipe
to financial success.
00:18:37.45\00:18:40.15
Call 800-253-3000, 800-253-3000.
00:18:40.18\00:18:45.79
You can write to the
address on your screen
00:18:45.82\00:18:47.69
or visit us
online at iiwoffer.com.
00:18:47.72\00:18:51.19
Get “God Will
Provide,” iiwoffer.com.
00:18:51.23\00:18:54.83
>>John Bradshaw: He's
been called the Father
00:18:55.56\00:18:57.40
of the Faithful even
though his life didn't always
00:18:57.43\00:19:00.74
give evidence of great faith.
00:19:00.77\00:19:02.54
The Bible says that
Abraham was strong in faith.
00:19:02.57\00:19:07.51
Join me on
location in Israel for
00:19:07.54\00:19:10.88
“Man of Faith.”
00:19:10.91\00:19:12.81
You'll discover lessons on faith
00:19:12.85\00:19:15.15
and discover how you can
be a person of real faith
00:19:15.18\00:19:18.72
in the God of heaven.
00:19:18.75\00:19:20.22
What is faith?
00:19:20.26\00:19:21.89
The Bible says,
00:19:21.92\00:19:22.99
“Without faith it is
impossible to please God”
00:19:23.02\00:19:25.63
and God's people in
earth's last days are described
00:19:25.66\00:19:29.43
as having faith,
the faith of Jesus.
00:19:29.46\00:19:32.93
“Man of Faith,”
00:19:32.97\00:19:34.57
Abraham, a flawed man,
00:19:34.60\00:19:36.81
a faulty man,
00:19:36.84\00:19:38.44
a man prone to make mistakes.
00:19:38.47\00:19:41.04
Abraham, the
Father of the Faithful.
00:19:41.08\00:19:45.21
Learn how you can
have faith, real faith.
00:19:45.25\00:19:47.58
Grow your faith.
00:19:47.62\00:19:48.98
Don't miss, “Man of Faith”
00:19:49.02\00:19:51.35
on It Is Written TV.
00:19:51.39\00:19:53.25
¤(Music ends)¤
00:19:53.29\00:19:55.32
>>John Bradshaw: Psalm
23 is one of the most loved
00:19:56.32\00:19:58.43
and most well-known
chapters of the Bible.
00:19:58.46\00:20:00.83
“The Lord is my Shepherd,”
00:20:00.86\00:20:02.00
it starts and then it
offers hope and assurance
00:20:02.03\00:20:04.40
and an insight into the
loving character of God.
00:20:04.43\00:20:07.50
Verse 4 says,
00:20:07.54\00:20:09.10
“Yea, though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death,
00:20:09.14\00:20:12.44
I will fear no evil;
00:20:12.47\00:20:14.48
for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff,
00:20:14.51\00:20:18.38
they comfort me.”
00:20:18.41\00:20:19.98
Undoubtedly there
were some dangerous places
00:20:20.02\00:20:22.22
out in the
wilderness as the shepherd cared
00:20:22.25\00:20:24.62
for the welfare of His sheep.
00:20:24.65\00:20:26.89
This world is full
of dangerous places.
00:20:26.92\00:20:29.16
Some people walk in the
valley of the shadow of death
00:20:29.19\00:20:31.53
when an accident
threatens to take their life.
00:20:31.56\00:20:34.23
The ICU can be
that kind of valley.
00:20:34.30\00:20:36.10
The emergency room.
00:20:36.13\00:20:37.73
Some people walk in dark valleys
when relationships come apart,
00:20:37.77\00:20:41.40
when divorce comes
from out of nowhere.
00:20:41.44\00:20:44.04
Grief or financial loss,
or job loss, or disability.
00:20:44.07\00:20:47.81
These can be dark valleys.
00:20:47.84\00:20:50.11
David himself went
through numerous dark valleys.
00:20:50.15\00:20:52.88
After killing Goliath,
David was hunted by King Saul.
00:20:52.91\00:20:56.42
He lived as a fugitive.
00:20:56.45\00:20:58.05
His sin brought
catastrophic consequences.
00:20:58.09\00:21:01.16
There was
dysfunction in his family.
00:21:01.19\00:21:03.43
The rebellion of his son.
00:21:03.46\00:21:04.86
The death of his son.
00:21:04.89\00:21:07.46
But was God with him?
00:21:07.50\00:21:09.60
Yes, He was.
00:21:09.63\00:21:10.83
And you can know that God is
with you in your dark valleys.
00:21:10.87\00:21:15.00
God says in Scripture,
00:21:15.04\00:21:16.27
“I will never leave
you nor forsake you.”
00:21:16.30\00:21:19.94
And that's the truth.
00:21:19.97\00:21:22.01
Trust less in what you can see
00:21:22.04\00:21:24.91
and accept by faith
that God is with you.
00:21:24.95\00:21:27.42
He is.
00:21:27.45\00:21:28.58
Even right now in the
midst of your challenges.
00:21:28.62\00:21:31.85
David adds that God's
rod and staff comfort him.
00:21:31.89\00:21:36.66
The shepherd's rod was
used to protect the sheep.
00:21:36.69\00:21:38.73
You can understand why David
00:21:38.76\00:21:39.83
would speak of
this as a comfort.
00:21:39.86\00:21:41.93
While the rod
was more like a club,
00:21:41.96\00:21:43.57
the staff is that long,
00:21:43.60\00:21:44.93
slender stick with a
crook or a hook on one end.
00:21:44.97\00:21:48.20
The shepherd might lean on it.
00:21:48.24\00:21:49.47
He might use it to
reach out to lambs or sheep,
00:21:49.50\00:21:52.71
move them one way or the other,
or draw them back to himself.
00:21:52.74\00:21:56.81
These were tools of
the shepherd's trade
00:21:56.85\00:21:59.25
that were used for the care
and the nurture of the flock.
00:21:59.28\00:22:03.52
And it's here that David
shifts his emphasis a little.
00:22:03.55\00:22:06.79
He says in verse 5,
00:22:06.82\00:22:08.79
“You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
00:22:08.82\00:22:13.09
You anoint my head
with oil, my cup runs over.”
00:22:13.13\00:22:17.60
He's speaking of the great
God who lavishes His blessings
00:22:17.63\00:22:21.00
upon the sheep of His flock.
00:22:21.04\00:22:22.80
God provides.
00:22:22.84\00:22:24.17
He cares and He cares for.
00:22:24.21\00:22:27.38
Clearly, the plans of David's
enemies come to nothing here.
00:22:27.41\00:22:30.65
They cannot prevent God
from blessing David so richly
00:22:30.68\00:22:34.35
that David says,
“My cup runs over.”
00:22:34.38\00:22:38.45
It reminds me of
the promise in Malachi
00:22:38.49\00:22:40.29
that God makes
to those who tithe.
00:22:40.32\00:22:42.56
Where He says that
He'll bless people so much
00:22:42.59\00:22:44.99
that there won't be room
enough to receive the blessing.
00:22:45.03\00:22:48.16
Now, we've got to be careful
here because God's not simply
00:22:48.20\00:22:50.90
talking about
financial or material blessings.
00:22:50.93\00:22:53.50
In fact, the next
verse might help us to see
00:22:53.54\00:22:57.31
just what God is
majoring in here.
00:22:57.34\00:23:00.71
Look at it with me.
00:23:00.74\00:23:02.01
“Surely goodness and
mercy shall follow me
00:23:02.04\00:23:05.08
all the days of my life;
00:23:05.11\00:23:07.42
and I will dwell in the
house of the Lord forever.”
00:23:07.45\00:23:11.79
Now here's the blessing.
00:23:11.82\00:23:13.49
Trust in God,
resting in God's care
00:23:13.52\00:23:16.56
brings goodness and
mercy flooding into your life.
00:23:16.59\00:23:19.93
Now it does not mean
we'll avoid all trouble or care.
00:23:19.96\00:23:22.66
It does mean that even
in the midst of challenges,
00:23:22.70\00:23:25.30
we can enjoy God's
goodness and mercy.
00:23:25.33\00:23:28.10
In John, Chapter 10,
Jesus picked up this thing from
00:23:28.14\00:23:30.61
Psalm 23 and He
elaborated on it.
00:23:30.64\00:23:33.74
Jesus spoke of the sheepfold,
00:23:33.78\00:23:36.71
which in Bible times
might have been an enclosure
00:23:36.75\00:23:39.41
with rock walls around it,
00:23:39.45\00:23:40.72
or it, it might have been
something more like a cave,
00:23:40.75\00:23:44.02
or an enclosure made
from sticks and thorns.
00:23:44.05\00:23:47.42
Often, instead
of an actual door,
00:23:47.46\00:23:49.72
there would be simply an opening
00:23:49.76\00:23:52.16
and the shepherd
would sleep in that opening.
00:23:52.19\00:23:55.30
He'd literally be
the doorway to the sheep.
00:23:55.33\00:23:58.77
And so we read in John 10
and verse 7 where Jesus said,
00:23:58.80\00:24:04.47
“Most assuredly, I say to you,
I am the door of the sheep.”
00:24:04.51\00:24:09.71
And then in verses 9 and 10,
00:24:09.74\00:24:11.45
“I am the door.
00:24:11.48\00:24:12.91
If anyone enters by
Me, he will be saved,
00:24:12.95\00:24:16.28
and will go in and
out and find pasture.
00:24:16.32\00:24:19.29
The thief does not
come except to steal,
00:24:19.32\00:24:22.19
and to kill, and to destroy.
00:24:22.22\00:24:25.06
I have come that
they may have life,
00:24:25.09\00:24:28.43
and that they may
have it more abundantly.”
00:24:28.46\00:24:31.63
That's why Jesus came
to the world, to give life.
00:24:31.67\00:24:34.47
Jesus says, “My kingdom
is built on love and grace,
00:24:34.50\00:24:37.01
and I'll give you
everlasting life completely free
00:24:37.04\00:24:40.14
if you'll just take it.”
00:24:40.18\00:24:42.04
It's that easy.
00:24:42.08\00:24:42.94
Jesus says, “I am
the Good Shepherd.
00:24:42.98\00:24:45.61
The Good Shepherd gives
His life for the sheep.”
00:24:45.65\00:24:48.18
That's exactly what Jesus did.
00:24:48.22\00:24:49.95
He gave His life for
the sheep, for me and you.
00:24:49.98\00:24:53.22
And in verse 16
of John, Chapter 10,
00:24:53.25\00:24:55.99
“And other sheep I have
which are not of this fold;
00:24:56.02\00:24:58.93
them also I must bring,
and they will hear My voice,
00:24:58.96\00:25:02.60
and there will be one
flock and one shepherd.”
00:25:02.63\00:25:05.77
¤(Music)¤
00:25:05.80\00:25:07.00
>>John: Jesus is calling to
you to trust in Him implicitly.
00:25:07.04\00:25:12.81
To allow Him to lead you beside
green pastures and still waters,
00:25:12.84\00:25:17.15
to be restored, and to follow
Him in paths of righteousness.
00:25:17.18\00:25:21.88
To not fear, even
when things look ominous.
00:25:21.92\00:25:25.19
To enjoy the blessings He offers
00:25:25.22\00:25:26.89
because He wants
the very best for you.
00:25:26.92\00:25:29.36
Isaiah wrote that
we all, like sheep,
00:25:29.39\00:25:31.46
have gone astray.
00:25:31.49\00:25:33.16
What gets us back on course?
00:25:33.19\00:25:35.53
The love and the leading of God,
00:25:35.56\00:25:38.07
who will make it so
that your cup runs over.
00:25:38.10\00:25:43.20
And what's the final result?
00:25:43.24\00:25:44.47
Well, David said,
00:25:44.51\00:25:45.84
“And I will dwell in the
house of the Lord forever.”
00:25:45.87\00:25:50.61
And that's God's plan for you.
00:25:50.65\00:25:52.61
People are like sheep.
00:25:52.65\00:25:54.15
We're followers.
00:25:54.18\00:25:55.82
If you'll make a decision today
to follow the Good Shepherd,
00:25:55.85\00:25:59.75
then you can look
forward to eternal life
00:25:59.79\00:26:01.76
with hope and certainty.
00:26:01.79\00:26:05.36
>>John Bradshaw: Thank you for
remembering that It Is Written
00:26:06.06\00:26:08.03
exists because of the kindness
of people just like you.
00:26:08.06\00:26:11.37
To support this international
life-changing ministry,
00:26:11.40\00:26:14.60
please call us
now at 800-253-3000.
00:26:14.64\00:26:18.84
You can send your
tax-deductible gift
00:26:18.87\00:26:20.41
to the address on your screen
00:26:20.44\00:26:21.91
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:26:21.94\00:26:25.58
Thank you for your prayers
and for your financial support.
00:26:25.61\00:26:28.32
Our number again is 800-253-3000
00:26:28.35\00:26:32.82
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:26:32.85\00:26:35.89
>>John Bradshaw: Let
me pray with you now.
00:26:36.69\00:26:38.26
¤(Music)¤
00:26:38.29\00:26:38.93
Our Father in heaven,
00:26:38.96\00:26:39.86
we thank you that
we can say with David,
00:26:39.89\00:26:41.70
“The Lord is my
Shepherd; I shall not want.”
00:26:41.73\00:26:45.93
Would you give us grace to
remember just who You truly are,
00:26:45.97\00:26:50.27
and where we stand
in relationship to You
00:26:50.31\00:26:52.61
through Jesus?
00:26:52.64\00:26:54.34
We thank You that You would
restore our souls and lead us.
00:26:54.38\00:26:57.51
We thank You that You
prepare a table for us
00:26:57.55\00:26:59.38
in the presence of our enemies.
00:26:59.41\00:27:01.35
We thank You that we
can say our cup runs over.
00:27:01.38\00:27:05.85
And we are
grateful that we can know
00:27:05.89\00:27:07.39
that through faith in Jesus,
00:27:07.42\00:27:09.96
we will dwell in the
house of the Lord forever.
00:27:09.99\00:27:12.06
How is it in your heart, friend?
00:27:12.09\00:27:14.83
Is the God of
heaven your Shepherd?
00:27:14.83\00:27:17.00
Is Jesus your
leader, your defender,
00:27:17.03\00:27:19.63
the door for you?
00:27:19.67\00:27:22.64
If you've not accepted
Jesus as your Lord and Savior,
00:27:22.67\00:27:24.94
would you do it now?
00:27:24.97\00:27:26.61
If you need to
recommit your life to Jesus,
00:27:26.64\00:27:28.88
if the fire is burning
dim, would you do that now?
00:27:28.91\00:27:34.88
We thank You that
there is a Good Shepherd
00:27:34.92\00:27:37.72
and that we can say of
Him, He is my Shepherd.
00:27:37.75\00:27:42.32
Let it be so we
pray in Jesus' name.
00:27:42.36\00:27:46.19
Amen.
00:27:46.23\00:27:46.86
¤(Music changes)¤
00:27:46.90\00:27:47.76
>>John: Thanks so
much for joining me.
00:27:47.76\00:27:49.43
I'm looking forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:49.46\00:27:51.30
Until then, remember,
00:27:51.33\00:27:52.90
it is written,
00:27:52.93\00:27:55.07
"Man shall not
live by bread alone,
00:27:55.10\00:27:56.97
but by every word that
proceeds from the mouth of God."
00:27:57.01\00:28:01.14
¤(Music swells
and then changes)¤
00:28:01.18\00:28:16.19