Thoughts Reflections and Inspirations

When a major event takes place, especially a tragedy like a mass shooting, a lot of questions are asked. One that always comes up is what was the motivation of the shooter. What was he thinking and where did the influence come from? Was he trained for this or did his mind snap? The questions go on as they should, but, in reality, the answer is not that difficult to come to if people are willing to face the facts.

We are all led by something or by someone. We are all being influenced everyday by something or by someone. Most adults can choose that source of influence. A good question for everyone of us is, “Where does my main influence come from?” For some it’s Facebook, others it’s Twitter, or Instagram, or YouTube, or the news media. For some it’s popular opinion, or friends, relatives, or family. We would serve ourselves well to take an honest look at what really is influencing, directing, leading our lives. Where is this leading us to?

Psalms 23:2 says, “he leadeth me beside the still waters.” Water is a necessity of life that we cannot live without. This verse says the Good Shepherd leads us beside still waters. When we follow His leading He will take us to water that is refreshing, lifegiving, and still or in a form that we can drink it. The only way we will drink is if we are thirsty.

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters.” Psalms 23:2. When we have made our peace with the Good Shepherd, it is like a sheep laying down in green pastures.

The preferred food of sheep is green grass. For a sheep to lay down in the middle of it, speaks of satisfaction. He has had plenty to eat. He is not frightened by anything. He does not have strife with anyone. He is content. He, at that moment, is not looking for something else with which to satisfy himself. He is not worried about what might follow him from the past. He is not worried about what He will face in the future. He is not worried about how his needs will be supplied in the future. He is at rest, at peace, satisfied, content, secure, and confident.

How did this sheep come to this state of being? He is trusting the Good Shepherd. He knows the Good Shepherd loves Him, would put His own life at risk for him, will supply his needs of food, shelter, water and protection. So because of that love, trust relationship, he is at rest. He can lay down in peace.

This is quite a contrast to how many are experiencing life today. Running here and there, hustle and bustle, deadlines to meet, worries of every sort; this is life for so many people. All the while, the Prince of Peace, which is the Good Shepherd, stands with His arms wide open.

The proof that the Good Shepherd loves us is that He laid down His life for us. “We love him, because he first loved us.” I John 4:19. That is how we come to trust Him and love Him when we realize and accept the truth that He loved us first. How can this be since we were such wretched, rebellious, disobedient sinners? The only answer I know is found in I John 4:16, in that three word phrase, “God is love”. We cannot explain this in human language, but if you want to see what this looks like, read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and see the life of Jesus when He was on earth.

The invitation is there to experience this love every day of our lives. The key to this is to hear and believe what He says. Here’s what He says to us in Romans 8:32. “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” All you need to overcome the problems you face, the answers to the questions of life that must be answered, He has it all.

So we come to Him as one who has been invited to come. It is usually easier for me to go to someone’s house if I’m invited to come. The invitation is open to come to the Creator of the Universe, Lord of Heaven and earth, King of Kings, who is also our Good Shepherd and present our case and our need before Him. He has invited us because He loves us with an everlasting love.

When David was a shepherd, there was a time when a lion came to take a lamb for his breakfast. There are times we feel like the enemy is taking us away for his breakfast. We read in James 4:7, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Are we stronger than our enemy? Definitely not! When we speak in the name of the Good Shepherd, Jesus, the enemy has to obey. This speaking the name of Jesus against the devil is bringing the Shepherd’s rod against the devil. He cannot stand against the Good Shepherd because the Good Shepherd defeated the devil when He shed His blood for us on the cross. This is, in fact, bringing the power of God against the enemy. The promise is, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

“Neither give place to the devil.” Ephesians 4:27. Give him no room, no access, no place in your life at all. If you want to be fully under the protection of the Good Shepherd, you must be fully under the authority of the Good Shepherd. If the devil owns something in your life like unconfessed sin, witchcraft practices, unforgiveness, bitterness, unbelief, etc., then get rid of it. Confess it as sin, renounce it, and ask God to set you free. He will, believe Him for it.

“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:36. That means if the Good Shepherd makes you free, you are free for sure, for real, no ties anymore to the enemy’s harassment.

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. (James 4:8). Don’t wait on a feeling, just reach out to the Lord by making your request. Turn away from and confess any wrong doing you are guilty of. He will forgive you immediately. He is so honored when you receive His forgiveness.

I have found when things get dark and life here looks so hopeless and depression wants to set in that there is a way out. You don’t have to be trapped by it. I, at times, have been hit hard by these things. People let you down, turn against you, tragedies happen and you feel like the whole world is against you. I suppose most people face these things, although at the time you think you’re the only one, no one understands. I never had any man or woman on earth to counsel me out of these situations. I now, many years down the road, am thankful for that. Now I can point others to the same help I got over the years. That’s right, you guessed it, it is the Good Shepherd!

It’s so good when others help you through depression. We need to help each other however we can, but there are times when you are alone and you don’t know where to turn to. When you are in that place, turn to the Good Shepherd with all your heart. He will receive you, He will help you. Don’t wait on a feeling, just talk to Him. Tell Him how you feel. You won’t surprise Him. He already knew it. Ask Him for help, listen for His answer.