Devotional Thoughts: Psalm 23

This morning as I worked on the first month’s study in The Crown Bible study by Cindy Colley, I was touched by the reminder that our Good Shepherd cares.

We’re in Psalms 23 this month and as I read it, I was touched at how many ways this Psalms tells me that the Good Shepherd does indeed care!

Psalm 23

1  The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2  He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.

3  He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

4  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

5  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.

6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

I stopped and marked (yellow highlights in the picture) the ways He cares, the things He does that shows He cares listed in this passage of Scripture and added a ‘He cares!’ notation in the margin next to it.  (This would be a great passage to do a whole Bible study on, what David meant and possibly felt as he penned the Psalm and what it means for Christians today!)

I don’t know about you, but sometimes when the devil gets in my head, I need a reminder that the Good Shepherd cares and this passage is a good one.

Update:  later the same day ...  I listened to this sermon by Dan Winkler titled, Trust In Him Who Will Not Leave You based on Psalm 23.  If you are a Christian and you are carrying a heavy burden, I cannot recommend enough that you listen to this sermon as soon as you can.  There are many biblical nuggets of wisdom throughout the lesson that my heart clung to, this being one ... 'God will not play tug of war with your trials. You either give it to Him and let Him do His work with trust or carry on the way you are in misery.'   I needed to hear that, maybe you do too ...

May you have a blessed day!

patsy @ From This Heart Of Mine

(c) 2023 by Patsy Norwood ~ All Rights Reserved.

Ways to Strengthen Our Sometimes-Weak Faith

I'm pretty sure that all Christians experience bouts of weakened faith from time to time.  It can be tough to get through on our own, but even in this, we are not alone.  Jesus is still our good Shepherd and is just waiting for us to call for help, yes, even when our faith is weak or has taken a blow.

Here are some ways that I've employed to help me get through those difficult times ...

How to Strengthen Our Sometimes-Weak Faith

(in no particular order)

Admit that your faith is weak to God in prayer.  Just acknowledging it is the first step in dealing with it. He's not going to belittle you or scold you for needing help in this area.  He loves us and wants us to come to Him with everything!

Study your Bible! As Christians, I hope you're a faithful student of God's Word.  If so, you have a whole book of remembrances of how God has been faithful to His people throughout history.  If you're not a faithful student of God's Word, then this is a good time to delve in and learn about God's faithfulness.

Along the same lines, take a look at your life and acknowledge God's faithfulness in your past.  A thumb through my prayer journal is a faith builder.  Seeing how God has answered past prayers is another reminder that He is faithful.  

Listen to spiritual songs that build your faith.  Create a playlist of faith building go-to songs ready to hit the button and play.

Ask God to strengthen your faith ...  the father of a demon possessed child did and God did!

Mark 9:23-25 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”  When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

What can you add to this list?  Let's build a resource to put into play when we're struggling with our faith.

May God be gloried in all that we do,

patsy @ From This Heart Of Mine

(c) 2023 by Patsy Norwood ~ All Rights Reserved.

What I Want in a Bible Study

I’ve reached a season in life where I’m done with the ‘fluff’ Bible studies that are common and readily available for women.

I’m done with the Christian motivational speaking women whose lessons have very little Bible in them.

I’m done with the preacher who stands in the pulpit and preaches what the congregation wants to hear instead of what God’s Word says.

I want the meat of God’s Word.

I want to hear faithful and true to God’s Word lessons from men in the pulpit and from women in women’s classes or at women’s speaking events.

I want something different than mainstream religion is offering.

‘Feel good religion’ has become an epidemic and we need men and women who aren’t afraid to say, ‘give me the meat of God’s Word, nothing more and nothing less.’

We need faithful men and women who aren't afraid to teach the meat of God's Word in their respective biblical roles.

I am one of those women!

I pray that you are too … so much is at stake.  If Satan can make us feel satisfied with fluff Christianity, then he doesn’t have to worry about us digging deep into the meat of God’s Word where he and his lies are exposed and where we truly find God's will for our lives.

Women are the hands that rock the cradle, they are the control center of their homes, they are the molders of the future ... think about that.  As women what are we, you and I, doing with our God given power?

patsy @ From This Heart Of Mine

(c) 2023 by Patsy Norwood.  All Rights Reserved.