23 Psalm Part Ii "I Shall Not Be In Want" Series

“I Shall Not Be In Want”. Now this is a topic that we could write books on. Wants and needs or needs and wants. A lot of times we get confused what our real needs are compared to our wants. Let’s look at the definition of both as defined by Dictionary.com

Want - to wish, need, crave, demand, or desire

Need - a lack of something wanted or deemed necessary

We can see that the main difference between a want and a need is a “want” is a desire and a “need” is necessary. We get in a lot of trouble in this life when our wants overtake our needs. The first verse of Psalm 23 says

Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want”

This means that IF the Lord is truly our shepherd then we will not want for anything. This is because our desire will be for the things of God and not earthly desires. Now this is an easy statement but tough to live out. I believe that this is why God directed me to this passage. If we are to live a spirit filled, joyful life we need to know how to let God be our shepherd. Have you ever spent most of your waking hours spending all your resources wanting something? You want it so badly that you put off everything else just to get it. Then when you do get it, it lacks the luster that it once held so dearly in your heart. That is because what we thought was a need was a want. So how do we determine what we need in this world?

No matter how independent you are or you think you are you need a shepherd. You need Jesus not just as Savior but as Lord of your life. Having Jesus as your Savior means that you have put your faith in Jesus for eternal life and you will spend eternity in heaven with Him. But in this world we still have a choice who we will follow. We will be sinful even though we are saved till we enter heaven. Each day our soul struggles with sin. If Jesus is not Lord of our life then those desires will flood our soul and our flesh will be corrupted. We will start living for self instead of the One who created us.

I don’t know the mind of a sheep but we learned yesterday that they are not intelligent nor do they possess good eyesight. They need led. WE need led. But while our head may say “Lead me Jesus” our heart can be far from that statement. We still want what we want. My wife Julie always tells me that most people don’t mind being a servant they just don’t want to be treated like a servant. But that is the very essence of what Jesus did. Jesus could have come to this world and been an earthly King. He could have led a lavish lifestyle and lived for eternity on this earth being served. But Jesus had to die as a sacrifice (a horrible and humiliating death on a cross) so we could inherit eternal life. Without Jesus paying the price for us we would not have any chance of eternal life.

So today I would ask you, what are you doing with your life? Is it full of storing up treasure for yourself and wanting the next thing? Or is your life about giving to others as Jesus has done for you? Your life will not be complete on this earth till you are willing to be a loving servant and willing to be treated like one also. I know a number of people who go and serve in a soup kitchen or shelter but they are the first to tell everyone what they do for a living. They want everyone to know that they don’t live there, that they are self sufficient and have worth in what they do, not in who they are in Jesus. That is not serving that is self serving.

We can ONLY lead a Spirit filled joyful life when we get rid of our arrogance. When we start to expect nothing in return for our kindness. That is because all the kindness we ever will need was poured out for us on the cross. When you can start to grasp this concept then life will start to be simplified instead of complicated. Then it won’t matter how you are treated because

YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING.

It is an awesome life when you are led by the soft hand of the shepherd. Quit trying to hide and run from the flock. Please pray this payer with me.

“Jesus I am tired of running. I don’t even know what I am running from but I am tired. My hope is gone and I don’t feel like I can go on. Jesus help me to turn all I have over to you. I have made a mess of a lot of things in my life and I want to have a fresh start. Lord please renew my Spirit and give me your energy and confidence to go forth in your power, not my own. Lord thank you for saving and loving me.” Amen

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want – Amen!!!!!

Have a great day.

Brad