The LORD is my shepherd III
Psalm 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Have you ever been hurt or been cast down? This word, cast down, is an old English word. What it is describing is when one of the sheep ends up on its back and cannot get back up on its feet by itself; the shepherd must then set the sheep upright. As Christians, when we get away from God, we become in a sense cast down like a sheep and we struggle in the flesh on our own to get back up. Here is the problem, we cannot restore ourselves, real restoration only comes from God.
Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
We cannot clean ourselves up or renew a right spirit within ourselves, it only comes from God.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I love this promise that we find in the Word of God, if we confess our sins God not only forgives us but He cleans up also.
Even if there is a case that is so bad that a church must invoke church discipline, it is not to get rid of the Christian permanently but to restore them, to bring them to an understanding of their need to turn back to God.
Galatians 6:1Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
That is one of the many great things about God, He does not discard us when we stray away, He wants to restore us and God wants to have fellowship with us.
He also leads us in paths of righteousness for His namesake.
Listen to this verse.
Psalm 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.
If we will let God lead us and order our steps we will not get off kilter or off the path that we we are supposed to be on.
Psalm 119:105 NUN Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
He left us His Word to guide us step by step and day by day if we will just let Him lead.
James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
When we mess up we need to immediately draw nigh to God. Do you realize that only a Christian can be double minded, the world only knows how to act like the world, but Christians know how to act like the world and they know how to act like Christians. Please, do not be a double minded Christian.
Remember, it is for His name’s sake. Everything we do should be with this thought, are we glorifying God in what we are doing. The more we draw nigh to God the more we will want to glorify God.
How is your walk today, do you need to be restored for you’ve drifted away? Also, are you allowing God to lead?
Stay tuned for next weeks “Monday’s Blog”.