On today’s blog post, I was inspired this week to invite you into my personal prayer and confessional time with the Lord. As is my practice at certain times along the way, when I feel as though I have emptied my soul completely to the Lord, I will be led to a passage or a verse in my Holy Scriptures where I will “respeak” His Word back to Him.
This blog post is just that, a respeaking of the Psalms 23:1-6 back to God as I listen and wait to be moved by His Spirit to write affirmative words, supportive and understanding thoughts and real-life feelings that enter into my heart during this private time with Him, just as I am in this space and time.
It is my heartfelt desire that somehow this blog post will inspire you in your own personal time and walk with our Lord and Savior. Grace and Peace
Psalms 23:1-6
The Lord is my Shepherd;
Even though many people know of me as a person Heavenly Father, it is only my Lord and Master who knows me in all of my imperfections and maladies. I yield my entire being before you for Your spiritual discernment and attention.
It is only my Lord who is able to locate me each time that I drift away from the straight and narrow road. He knows my very case and my real-life situations, not to mention what needs to be done on my behalf when I do go astray. I am drained, I am tired, I am thy servant.
Not only can my Lord save and deliver me, But You also protects me, thus guiding and directing me in the correct direction of travel that has been pre-ordained by the Father.
I shall not want.
Father, in Your presence, I willfully repent to You my Lord, in that I do at times, desire strongly, the things of this world. Those things that only appeal to my lust of my eyes, my lust of my flesh, and my ever-present pride of life! Yet Your strong arm of protection shields me from entering into this type of temptations, for out of the abundance of my heart, my mouth confess only to You, my King!
Nonetheless, I am grateful that Your extended love for me while I remain permanently yoked to The Master, serves in providing me both material and spiritual blessings, for He is the very fullness of all of my supply on earth as well as the eternal glory to come.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures,
My Lord, when I at times find myself restless, unsure and never satisfied, You remind me of Your covenant of grace and all of its benefits granted on my behalf, while extending me a “safe place” to lie down from all of my soulish toilings and struggles, only to rediscover within You, satisfaction and fullness in the nourishment of Your green pastures.
This is my very secret place in You where I may come and regulate my troubled mind, where my soul is at peace and is replenished while I abide in Your safety and restful presence.
He leadeth me beside the still waters,
For me, O Lord my God, in all the world, it is only within You that I find the peace for my soul. The spiritual virtue of peace is so very important to my overall soul-care needs.
In all of the noisiness of this world, not to mention all of the uncivility of so many people in our culture, I thank you that my Lord leads me to the living waters that are quiet and restorative.
It is Your everlasting loving-kindness toward me that makes my heart glad while suppling my soul with added life as I communion with God through the reading and meditation of His Living Word refreshes my soul.
He restoreth my soul.
Every time I act upon my natural tendencies, those actions, thoughts, and deeds that reflect my carnality and sinful disposition, it is You my Lord who always is faithful in bringing me back to my senses.
My soul is restored by willfully repenting my wrong-doing first to You, and next, to those, to whom I have wronged, and then to myself. Pleading my case before You while requesting greater spiritual ability to not sin again. Thank you for Your Loving-kindness, Your grace and mercy on my behalf my Lord!
He leadeth me in the path of righteousness
Without You as my feeder of my soul, I would not know anything about absolute truth or holiness my Lord. How else could I know what it is that you require of me as one of my Lord’s own?
None other that I learn to worship You with all of my heart, mind, and strength while loving my neighbor as myself. Holy living consist of living faithfully the spiritual virtues of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control toward You and before my neighbors.
The road map of the path of righteousness is marked by the fruits of the Holy Spirit! This is the straight and narrow path which leads to eternal life.
for His namesake.
My Lord as I live for God’s glory by the praise of His unmerited favor, and not for that of the glory of the world, nor humans, either for myself, but I live for Christ who is the caretaker of my soul.
What other or better life could I possibly give myself that only Christ gave me in redeeming me back to the Father? It is He and He alone who brought me unto Him as one of His own, for He knows the voice of His own!
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
My Lord, you have enlightened me that the way of righteousness in this very present and evil age is not an easy way to travel. Yet each step along the way is measured if not prepared by God the Father.
His Word is a lamp upon my feet as I sometimes experience forms of “captivity” in my journey. I will have to experience places of danger, if not distress, not to mention some darkness that mimics death and or the grave that we all will return to.
Thank you moment by moment, that You have kept me safe as I had to endure many afflictions and hardships for Your namesake. As it is with this spiritual reality, such hardships will increase as this present evil generation continues, thus, I am praying for additional grace and wisdom by your Power leading me to continue in walk in this way according to Your will and purpose for my life.
I will fear no evil,
My Lord, I know that thou are not blind nor absent from Your throne yet there is an ever-growing increase in evil that has much innocent blood “crying out” for validation and vindication!
Even those who are within the Household of Faith naturally, at times experience fear, anxiety in this evil age, You have instructed us not to take matters into our own hands. We are not to become emotional captive toward our conditions on earth, but to focus only on our spiritual position in Christ.
Father, I do find comfort in knowing that You have determined my very path that I will travel by Your knowledge and will, thus whatever the present and the future will manifest, it is for my good and nothing that I will encounter will have the power to separate me from Your tender love.
For Thou art with me;
Lord, in and on my own applied strength, abilities, and knowledge, I am so very weak, timid and fearful in this world. You, Lord, are able to sympathize with me in all of my afflictions and weaknesses.
You revive, strengthens me while comforting my soul with Your ever-present love and grace; bearing me up with Your mighty arms of protection and power.
Over the many years of traveling with You, I have learned that my useless wisdom, knowledge and human abilities are in need of spiritual restoration in order for me to successfully represent The Lord in this fallen world.
Only then are my human fears and doubts driven away as within Your presence, will I be able to pass through all of the darkness, the valleys of despair; the deep waters and all of the many trials, tribulations, and testing with the courage that God has given as I continue to abide with my Lord.
Thou rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Father, it is because of the rod of Your Living Word which grants “true-life” as well as Your strength, which protects me, coupled with the staff of all of Your promises and provisions that are giving to those who abide in Your Kingdom, may experience comfort while often-times, toiling under the sun of oppression in this age.
Thou preparest a table before me,
Thank you, my God and my King for granting me in only ways that are conducive of only You, the “on-time” providential manner for You providing sufficiency for my daily portion for my family and myself. Both spiritually and temporal blessings from above are well received from me with gratitude and thankfulness.
I fully acknowledge You King of heaven and the earth, as Your grace and the Gospel of Your Kingdom message is your table of faith is currently set before this world to consider. Let them come and feast while enjoying sitting at Your table which is prepared for Your people.
in the presence of my enemies;
Father, I must confess that those who are my enemies at present I am not aware as to just what I have done to them that there is hostility between them and myself.
It is only because of the example of my Lord’s willingness to totally submit His will to the will that the Father, in order to “finish” the work that You designed Him, that I too have learned not to superimpose my will on others, yet to submit my will to the redeemer of my soul.
So why enemies?
I only deceive myself in thinking that everyone loves You and Your Kingdom! The same is true toward me and how You have blessed me and my family. Your extended favor in my faithful commitment perhaps is other’s just cause of sowing discord, anger, and resentment in my life.
In reality, they are not mad at me, they, in fact, are hateful toward Your willingness to uphold Your covenantal agreement in my life proving that You alone is God in my life as I uphold my commitments toward You as well.
Thou anointest my head with oil,
How I do gladly receive all that You have for me on this oftentimes, lonely journey, even if it creates enemies in my life, and while those who are hostile toward the Kingdom of God.
I am instructed not to return evil with evil, yet Your blessings and power to love my enemies is made possible by You pouring the oil of Spiritual gladness, joy, and comfort into my soul when warring factions abrupt in my life.
Thus I thank You, heavenly Father, for the gift of the comforter and His graces, anointing me into all truth for the entirety of my lifetime of yielding to the path of righteousness.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me,
It is only because of my faithful love, support, and dependency in You Lord that I am a benefactor of all of the spiritual virtues that will sustain me while keeping me now and forevermore.
Is it not true that Your goodness and mercy the very foundation of Your Kingdom, my Lord? It is so because God has granted them throughout my life in the Lord as the Feeder of my Soul.
all the days of my life;
As each new day is a new day in my life, so is it with God’s mercies extended toward me by Your hands. Your goodness for me abides for me while I forever remain yoked to the Master while I am here on earth.
All the other spiritual blessings that I have in Christ are forever granted to me, for they are my Heavenly Father’s gifts to me that are without repentance.
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Wherever You lead me, Lord, I have the supreme blessed assurance that I will always dwell in the House of My King that is not made with earthly hands, for I am in the eternal Kingdom of God, abiding with Christ for all eternity, Amen.
Brother Alonzo