Words of Wisdom and Encouragement.
'TRUST IN THE LORD OUR SHEPHERD'
OPENING SCRIPTURES:
✨Proverbs 3:5-8 (KJV) Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
✨Proverbs 4:23-27 (KJV) Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
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MATURITY Vs IMMATURITY
Maturity causes you to let go and let God lead your heart. Maturity pursues after the heart of God. Immaturity, on the other hand, seeks not the heart of God but its own desires. Neither is it responsive to correction. It is conceited in its ways and ill mannered.
Immaturity causes you to hold on to old things that need moulding and pruning. The more you hold on to them, the more deep in error you will you enter into. This leads me to say, "A ship without a captain is a ship lost out at sea." If I don't address my own need for correction and growth, then I am a blind man trying to lead another blind man.
A ship without a captain is a ship lost out at sea.
If I hold back from my child, the discipline he needs (as in, correction and rebuke), I am holding onto his ignorance, and I have become a servant to his arrogance. I am not giving him the opportunity to learn and grow. That child will grow up thinking his ways are correct, and soon discover he lacks discipline to carry his life with maturity and to go forward and achieve his goals.
GUARD YOUR TONGUE AND ATTITUDE
Correct posture includes correct focus and correct language.
A tongue that has no guard, is a weapon with the intent to harm.
A tongue that has no guard, is a weapon with the intent to harm. Any person who speaks careless and unbridled words can sow the seed of division rather than unity. Your words also reveal your attitude, and your deep rooted thoughts. Bad attitude is raging voice without control. It is like a tempestuous sea in a storm. If you do not guard your tongue and attitude with all diligence, your attitude will speak and sow discord and destruction. It will hurt without care. Think of it like an arrow, that has left the bow of the archer. It doesn't recant nor reconsider it's flight path, it carries to where it was shot at. Once it is fired, it is fired. Your words are very powerful. So is your attitude. If there are deep rooted things, surrender them to the Lord, for He cares for you.
ACTION Vs LACK OF ACTION
Now let's talk about a lack of action. A lack of action can come from a lack of discipline, lack of direction, a lack of agreement, and a lack of leadership. You must be responsible for your own thoughts and words by continuously allowing God's Words to wash you and build you every day. A lack of action can also entertain laziness and complacency. Delay comes from no action or lack of it, thereof. Delay can also come from disobedience and misalignment.
The opposite of delay is progress, the opposite of a lack of action is, ACTION. I have associated two key thoughts here:
Action is progress. A lack of action is delay.
Action is progress. A lack of action is delay.
The Above (Opening) Scriptures noted, describe 'action' in a number of ways:
• Give attention to
•Trust in the Lord with all your heart
• Keep thy heart with all diligence
• Guard your heart
• Acknowledge Him
• Fear the Lord
• Depart from Evil
• Ponder the path of your feet
• Let your eyes look right on
•Put away from you a froward mouth
The scriptures are full of actions for us to apply.
Now let's talk about complacency. Complacency is a lack of action. Complacency is breeding grounds for 'unnecessary dependency.' Necessary dependency is good only to a certain degree where it serves the purpose of the one needing it. But unnecessary dependency is a type of dependency that is a disease. I call it 'unnecessary' because It really is laziness and complacency in disguise. Unnecessary dependency is a lack of action towards profitable outcomes, it has no vision, it has no direction, and does not allow for growth. lt is not willing to make room for change.
There is the Chinese adage, "Give a man fish and he will want more. Teach him how to fish, and he will catch his own."
The opposite of unnecessary dependency is responsibility, discipline and taking ownership of your actions. Your lack of response can become your lack of action also.
THE UNIQUE LESSONS OF THE VALLEY
There are some lessons that are only ordained for the valley of the shadow of death, that you won't find anywhere in the green pastures. You won't find them either beside the still waters.
Consider the Psalms 23 passage. If the Lord is truly your Shepherd, you will not only trust Him in the green pastures, and still waters but also in the valley of the shadow of death. There are some lessons that are only ordained for the valley of the shadow of death, that you won't find anywhere in the green pastures. You won't find them either beside the still waters. Because those lessons in the valley are purposely there for your growth. There is a certain level of growth that you won't experience until you are willing to follow the Shepherd into the dark valley. But you can trust Him to lead you through it. I know one key lesson that you must immediately learn and that is to 'Fix your eyes on the Shepherd's Rod: the stuff of his guidance and counsel.'
Consider that the valley can be an uncomfortable place but the Shepherd never says you aren't ready, He knows you are ready when you have learnt to follow His Rod and His Voice.
YOU ARE READY! when you have learnt to follow His Voice and Obey Him without hesitation.
YOU ARE READY! when you have learnt to follow His Voice and Obey Him without hesitation. The sheep know the Voice of the Good Shepherd.
Again, yes He knows that you need to learn some lessons still but those lessons are not in the green pastures, or beside the still waters. You won't find them there and the only way for Him to bring you to those vital lessons is to lead through the dark valley.
Moses was never ready for his call, as he thought, but God decided the time was right and the appointment had come, to send him. You might not feel ready to take up the call either, but God knows the time is right for you to take up your Call. He wants to encourage you to take up the Call. He wants you to trust Him as your Shepherd, and to trust Him as the One Who leads you. Because, there are some lessons you won't learn in the green pastures, that you can only learn in the valley of the shadow of death. There is a certain level of maturity that you will never be able to attain in the comfort zone until God throws you in the deep end where true growth exists and thrives.
There is a certain level of maturity that you will never be able to attain in the comfort zone until God throws you in the deep end where true growth exists and thrives.
Remember, you are not alone when you step into that valley, God is with you.
Trust God to lead you my friends, and step out with Him in all confidence. His Spirit is near to guide you.
Listen with your heart, and lean into the Confidence of His Voice. Take action by obeying His directions. Remember 'the action words' that I listed from the opening Scriptures.
Look at Christ and keep your heart, and mind on Him.
And when you do step out, remember also, what Peter did, and don't look at the storm. Don't be afraid my friends (Isaiah 43:1-3). Don't look at the Mountain of troubles around you and the tempestuous sea. Don't look at the negativity and bad attitude of others. They are the raging sea, but you are one who has chosen to fix your eyes on Jesus. It will be tough but be courageous and Look at Christ and keep your heart, and mind on Him. He will help you, and He will show you the way.
TRUST IN HIM.
TRUST IN HIM.
TRUST IN HIM.
CLOSING SCRIPTURE:
✨Isaiah 26:3-4, 8-9, 12 (KJV) Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:
Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.
🌿Apostle & Pstr. Norman Sabadi
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