Want

Psalm 23:1 A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. #Bible

I remember when I was in construction and it was a real lean time. I was really broke, I didn't have two cents to rub together. I remember looking through my cabinets trying to find something to eat, there was nothing. Moving things around, I noticed a bunch of bags, so I pulled them out. To my surprise they were k- rations a friend of mine had given me months before. I had totally forgot about them. Well with nothing to eat, probably for the next few days I decided to try them. They were excellent, even the chocolate bar that had turned white. So even though I thought there was nothing I had something.
This verse makes two points, the first is the Lord is my Shepherd, meaning Jesus closely watches over me, and He is my Companion. Being Jehovah, that says something.
This next word is want, meaning to lack, or to diminish, or decrease into poverty.
I can say, even though I was very close to having to go a few days without food I was never lacking, or wanting because of those k-rations.
With Jesus being our Shepherd, means He not only will watch over us and feed us He is our companion through this life. Jesus has never failed in His duties, He has perfectly carried them out.
So as the Psalmist David has proclaimed, so can we declare our Savior and Great Shepard Jesus the Christ is our Shepard and we will lack nothing, nor diminish, or want. Praise the Lord!

A Gift

Matthew 5:23-24 "So if you are presenting your gift at the altar and remember there that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and first go and be reconciled to your brother. Then come and offer your gift.

The altar is the meeting place where God and man come together. A gift at the altar means proceeding to worship God, bring an offering of money, prayer, sacrifice, or any interaction we can possibly engage in with God at the altar.
Its like how can you ride a bicycle with a flat tire? In other words we are not sincere going to the altar knowing someone has issue with us. We must attempt to correct any problems that someone has with us if we expect God to meet us at the alter
We can't be responsible if they continue to hold on to their issues, but we are responsible to make the attempt. Unfortunately that person becomes God's responsibility at that point.
Notice the word reconcile, it means to change their mind, or renew your relationship with them.
We are brothers and sisters with this world even though all are not Christians. Especially with our fellow Christians, we need to remember God Loved us with His Son Jesus. So we should love one another in the same way, even the world as God does.
We can see from Jesus here that when we worship God we take only our best with us. Like truthfulness, honesty, love, humility, and thankfulness, to name a few. Then we should realize who is really offering the gift.

Free!

John 8:31-32 Then Jesus said to those Jews who had believed him, "If you continue in my word you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." #Bible

First we must believe, before anything else happens. We must ask ourselves regularly, do I believe, for me it helps Aline my convictions, to not take God for granted. It tunes up my faith and reminds me who I am in Christ Jesus.
To continue is ongoing, it is living our lives meditating on God's Word in every situation, seeking His wisdom in our daily trials.
Truly Disciples, is to be seriously the disciples of Jesus as learning pupil's.
To know the Truth is continually learning. Truth is on going, never to know it all, but truth in what's real in this world and what is false.
Truth in knowing the true and living Savior Jesus, and our Father God who created all things, even our Wonderful Holy Spirit, our companion in this world.
We are set free by the Truth of Jesus. That means free from sin, free from temptation, free from the traps set by Satan to entangle us, free from condemnation, whether from God or anything or anyone in this world. We are free indeed, even form our self condemnation.
To be a disciple or slave of Jesus the Christ, is to be free from everything else on earth below, or Heaven above. Praise The LORD!

Listen and Remember

Proverbs 19:20 Listen to advice and accept instruction so that you will gain wisdom for your future. #Bible

Its what we do now with the advice or instruction that we receive, that is important.
I believe that the Lord never allows us to enter a situation unprepared. God always prepares us for our future events if we allow Him.
Walking with God teaches us the governance and leadership of God. As in the days of Jesus being on this planet, He spent some three years preparing His Apostles for the greatest moment in time and what was to follow, Jesus's crucification and resurrection.
If we pay close attention to Jesus our Lord, as in the close intimate relationship we need to maintain with Him. We will see His instruction, in His word the Bible, we will hear it in the Preaching, and even in our interaction with our Family of God. God is always speaking to us. Its like tuning in a radio station, we need to tune into God.
A intimate relationship with God isn't difficult, we just need to talk to Him. If you have trouble hearing God, then get closer, like reading your Bible out loud. Then you will hear God speak, its your voice, but God's Words.
The beauty of reading the Bible every day is that before long as your praying to God with questions or concerns, or even needs. You will begin remembering Bible verses that pertain to your inquiries in prayer. That is a good feeling. The first step in being wise is to listen to God, and remember.

Our Rest

Proverbs 21:17 Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich. #Bible

Pleasure costs money. When you relax, take at easy, and the sorts, you are missing the fruits of your labor, not to mention what your pleasures cost you.
The greatest problem with pleasure is, it distracts you, you take your attention off of Jesus. You get soft, It is difficult to get going again. The remembrance of your time in pleasure goes so fast and fades so quickly, you feel like it never happened.
Yes just like a vacation. Its here, you have two weeks in front of you. You lift your head and look around and a week has gone by. You see the days fleeting, and the next thing you know your setting your alarm to go back to work in the morning. You try to remember your vacation and the details are escaping you already.
Again yes we need those breaks from our labors, but they come with frustration.
Wine and oil, in this culture their cost was huge. You paid dearly in many ways to enjoy them.
If these pleasures go where Jesus doesn't go, we need to consider where we are and get back to Jesus, because Jesus is our rest, and He knows what's best.

Love, Peace, and Thankfulness

Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. #Bible

When we have the Peace of Christ and God, it means we submit to the rule of God through Christ. We allow the judgment and governance of our hearts and minds by our God.
Our Lord's rule over our minds clears up all of our flaws that cause us to have poor judgment, or flawed division making issues. We don't have a clear head, we function in a fog.
When all is right, in peace, we humbly operate under the direction of Jesus. The feeling is, all is well with my soul, because everything is alined with Gods Lordship over all of our lives. That's when we are truly happy, as the word defines. Why would we deny this wonderful gift God has so generously given us?
The world attempts to corrupt God's peace, but it is God's Peace that is the perfect defense against this wicked world. In fact God's Peace by the Holy Spirit, is what attracts those called who are in the world. So put on Love, live in peace, and be thankful.