Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my Shepherd

Psalm 23:1  “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”  In other words: "The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need."  

We begin a new series I'm calling Stressbusters. We're going to look at the seven greatest sources of stress.  They are all found in Psalm 23.  And the antidotes are also found in Psalm 23.  Psalm 23 is the most beloved psalm of the Bible.  And it tells us what God is really like.  It's a picture of God.

The first cause of stress is Worry.  We all have pet worries:  finances, jobs, relationships, marriage, kids, health...  There are three problems with worry.  Worry is unhelpful, it's unreasonable and it's unhealthy.

It's unhelpful because it never accomplishes anything, it never solves anything.  It is stewing without doing. It's like racing your car engine -- you create a lot of smoke and noise but you don't go anywhere.  Worry has never solved a problem. It's unhelpful; it doesn't work.

It is unreasonable.  It exaggerates your problems and makes mountains out of molehills. It just makes problems seem bigger and bigger.  The more you review something when you're worried about it, the bigger it gets.  To worry about something you can't change is unreasonable.

It is unhealthy.  The body was not made to worry; it's unnatural.  When you worry you get ulcers, backaches, headaches, insomnia.  Our bodies were not made to worry.  Worry makes us unhappy.  Worry strangles the life out of you.  It's unhealthy.

You weren't born worrying.  You have to learn to worry.  You have to practice to be good at it.  The good news is that if worry is learned, it can also be unlearned.

What is the antidote for worry?

Psalm 23:1  "The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need."  If I believe that God is going to take care of me, I'm not going to worry.  How does making God my shepherd show the antidote to stress in my life?  If I let the Lord be my Shepherd, how is that an antidote to worry?  You have to know what shepherds do. 

§  A shepherd provides.  He provides food, shelter, the basic necessities for his sheep.

§  A shepherd protects.  He defends against enemies, harm.

§  A shepherd guides.  He leads sheep when they're confused and don't know which way to go.

§  A shepherd corrects.  Any problem that comes along, he corrects it.

The amazing thing is this:  God has promised to do these four things in your life if you'll trust Him, if you'll let Him be your shepherd.

Isaiah 40:11 "God takes care of his people like a shepherd."  God says, I'll take care of you, I'll guide, protect, correct.  I will help you, if you'll let me be your shepherd. 

He even gets more specific in Phil. 4:19 "My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus."  This doesn't say, God will meet all of your wants. There's a difference between needs and wants.  If God met all of your wants, you'd be the biggest spoiled brat in the universe.  He's not going to give you everything you want.  It would be like the Midas touch.  Soon you'd be miserable.  But He has said, "I will meet all of your needs."

How Do I Make God My Shepherd?

God is not the Shepherd of everybody.  He's only the Shepherd of those who let Him be the Shepherd.

Accept Jesus as My Lord

"The Lord is my Shepherd."  -- The Lord can't be your Shepherd until the Shepherd is your Lord.  The two go together.  You can't ask Him to be the Shepherd without allowing Him to be your Lord.

Jesus Christ is Lord in your life if He's calling the shots in your life.  If He's not calling the shots, He's not Lord. And if He's not Lord, He's not Shepherd.  Because the Lord is my Shepherd.

To accept Jesus as Lord means three things.  John 10:14, 27 "Jesus said, `I am the good shepherd... my sheep know me ... they listen to my voice, and they follow me.'"  These three words are what it means to have Jesus as Lord:  You know Jesus, you listen to Jesus, you follow Jesus.  You put Him in control.

Who's in control of your life?  God gives you the option.  He doesn't force Himself on anybody's life.  You have two options -- either you can be in control of your life or you can let God be in control of your life.  God doesn't co-pilot.  God is not going to force it on you, but either you can be in control of your life or you can let Him be in control of your life.  He made you.  He knows what will make you happy more than you do.  He has the power to bring those things to pass.  But He's still going to give you the option.

If God is running your life and He's your Lord and your Shepherd, you know He can control anything so you don't sweat it.  Make Jesus the Lord of your life.

Begin Praying About Everything

Pray about all the stuff you usually worry about.  Just talk to God.  He wants your friendship, your relationship.  Prayer gets in touch with God who can change it.  Whenever I'm worried I have two options -- I can panic or I can pray.

Phil. 4:6 "Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything... if you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand."

Pray about everything.  Don't just pray about religious things.  Most people, when they pray, pray prayers they think God wants to hear.  Pray about everything.  If it's big enough to worry about, it's big enough to pray about.  God's ability is greater than your anxiety.

"Cast all of your anxiety on Him because He cares for you."  I Peter 5:7

What's got you worried?  What is it that causes you to fuss and fume, toss and turn, wondering "Is it ever going to work out?"  What is it that when you think about it you get that awful feeling in the pit of your stomach?  God knows exactly what you're going through.

"Your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well what you need, and He will give them to you if you give Him first place in your life and live as He wants you to."

I invite you to take the first step by opening your life to Jesus Christ if you've never done so.  Ask Jesus Christ to become your Lord -- your boss, manager -- and Shepherd, as He's promised to do. 

Have a wonderful new week. Ask the Lord to be your Shepherd.