Pastor's Points

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Psalms 23:6 (KJV) Because we are God’s Elect His blessed hand is upon us.   Our fidelity will result in His blessing on earth and we are destined to dwell in houses not made of hands prepared for us by His Son Jesus in Glory.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalms 23:4 (KJV) Into every life will come times of peril and in the end; death.   Christians do not make life’s journey alone.   The Holy Spirit dwells in us and walks with us every step of our life’s way.   Good shepherds carried to valuable tools with which to work their sheep. He carried a staff, a long pole with a curved hook like end at the top.   This he used to prod and guide the sheep, to capture them when they would not submit to them and often to rescue them by snagging them out of pools and pits.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Psalms 23:3 (KJV) Because of their nearsightedness sheep can and will often be lead astray and in the process lead others away from the flock and the shepherd’s care.   The God Shepherd seeks to lead us in His holy path of righteousness.    The sheep of His Flock know and bear His name.   He is not ashamed of us even when we stray but will always receive us when we return in repentance. There will be times when our insistence of our own will makes it necessary for Him to chastise us but it is always out of love for us and only with sufficient force and effort to bring us to our senses and back to the fold. The Good Shepherd is knows His sheep and they know His voice.   The sheep of His Flock will follow Him wherever He leads.