Bible League: Living His Word The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.— Psalm 23:1 NIV I'm not alone. I'm not alone in life and I'm not on my own. I have a shepherd. The Lord is my shepherd. He leads me through life like a shepherd leads his sheep. Isaiah said of the Lord, "He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart" (Isaiah 40:11). Maybe this makes you think that I'm too passive, weak, and immature. Maybe this makes you think that I should grow up and start taking care of myself. I think, in contrast, that it's highly advantageous to have the Lord as my shepherd. I think following the Lord's lead is the only way to go in life. After all, it means that I lack nothing. The Lord provides for me. That's the advantage of having a good shepherd. The Lord makes sure that I have the green pastures and still waters I need to thrive (Psalm 23:2). I don't have to worry about finding these things on my own. The Lord knows where they are, and He leads me and guides me to them. Indeed, He makes sure that I have everything I need, no matter what it is, both now and forevermore. He's not a part-time shepherd; He's not a temp worker; He's on the job all day, every day, for all eternity. Moreover, the Lord provides for me by leading me to the right path. There are many paths leading to all sorts of places. Some are good, but most are bad, and sheep can't always tell the difference. At the start of a given path sheep can't see where it leads; however, the Lord knows where all the paths end. He can lead me and guide me along the right one. If I turn the wrong way, I can call out to Him and He lights up a better way. "Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock. You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth" (Psalm 80:1). Even if the good path on which He leads me has some dark valleys and hard times, I don't have to worry. I know that my shepherd is still with me, and I can take comfort in that assurance (Psalm 23:4). Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingIsaiah 48, 49 Isaiah 48 -- Israel's Obstinacy and Deliverance NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Isaiah 49 -- The Servant of the Lord; Restoration to Zion NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Colossians 4 Colossians 4 -- Let Your Conversation be Full of Grace; Final Greetings NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor, which I have always been eager to do.Insight The apostles were referring to the poor of Jerusalem. While many Gentile converts were financially comfortable, the Jerusalem church had suffered from the effects of a severe famine in Palestine and was struggling. So on his journeys, Paul had gathered funds for the Jewish Christians. The need for believers to care for the poor is a constant theme in Scripture. But often we do nothing, caught up in meeting our own needs and desires. Challenge Perhaps we don't see enough poverty to remember the needs of the poor. The world is filled with poor people, here and in other countries. What can you do to help? Morning and Evening by Spurgeon John 14:26 The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost.This age is peculiarly the dispensation of the Holy Spirit, in which Jesus cheers us, not by his personal presence, as he shall do by-and-by, but by the indwelling and constant abiding of the Holy Ghost, who is evermore the Comforter of the church. It is his office to console the hearts of God's people. He convinces of sin; he illuminates and instructs; but still the main part of his work lies in making glad the hearts of the renewed, in confirming the weak, and lifting up all those that be bowed down. He does this by revealing Jesus to them. The Holy Spirit consoles, but Christ is the consolation. If we may use the figure, the Holy Spirit is the Physician, but Jesus is the medicine. He heals the wound, but it is by applying the holy ointment of Christ's name and grace. He takes not of his own things, but of the things of Christ. So if we give to the Holy Spirit the Greek name of Paraclete, as we sometimes do, then our heart confers on our blessed Lord Jesus the title of Paraclesis. If the one be the Comforter, the other is the Comfort. Now, with such rich provision for his need, why should the Christian be sad and desponding? The Holy Spirit has graciously engaged to be thy Comforter: dost thou imagine, O thou weak and trembling believer, that he will be negligent of his sacred trust? Canst thou suppose that he has undertaken what he cannot or will not perform? If it be his especial work to strengthen thee, and to comfort thee, dost thou suppose he has forgotten his business, or that he will fail in the loving office which he sustains towards thee? Nay, think not so hardly of the tender and blessed Spirit whose name is "the Comforter." He delights to give the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Trust thou in him, and he will surely comfort thee till the house of mourning is closed forever, and the marriage feast has begun. Daily Light on the Daily Path Matthew 6:10 'Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.Daniel 2:44 "In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. Daniel 2:34 "You continued looking until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them. Zechariah 4:6 Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts. Luke 17:20,21 Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; • nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or, 'There it is!' For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst." Mark 4:11,26,27,29 And He was saying to them, "To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables, • And He was saying, "The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; • and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows-- how, he himself does not know. • "But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come." Matthew 24:44 "For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will. Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. 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