Confidence In The Shepard Series

Title: “Complete Confidence in the Shepherd”

Over the last several weeks, we have been looking at Psalms 23. We have read this Scripture & we have Heard it quoted for years.

But when I began to break it down verse by verse, this passage of Scripture came Alive to me. I began to see the Heart of David, & the Confidence that he had in “His Shepherd.”

Psalms 23: 6

“Surely goodness & mercy shall follow me All the days of my Life; And I will dwell in the House of the Lord Forever.”

p.1

What was David saying to us in this verse of Scripture? He was saying, “I am going to Trust God & have Complete Confidence in Him regardless of the Situation.”

Faith is not merely you holding on to God--it is God holding on to you.

Stormie Omartin said, “Trust that God has your best interests in mind & be willing to do what He asks of you, even if you don’t Understand Why. Obedience starts with having a Heart that says Yes to God.”

p. 2

Trust- It is assured reliance on the Character,

Ability, or Truth of Someone or

Something. It is one in which Confidence is Places. It means to

Commit or Place in one’s care.

I. God Wants Us To Trust Him In Every Area

Of Our Lives.

Proverbs 3:5-6, 8

“Trust in the Lord with all your Heart, & Lean not to your own Understanding;

“In all of your ways acknowledge Him, & He shall direct your paths.

“It will be Health to your Flesh & Strength to your Bones.”

p.3

Psalms 118: 8

“It is better to Trust in the Lord than to put Confidence in man.”

Isaiah 26:3-4

“You will keep him in Perfect Peace, whose Mind is stayed on You, because he Trusts in You.

“Trust in the Lord forever, For in YAH, the Lord, is Everlasting Strength.”

David is saying in this Psalm, “I have a Good Shepherd that is Constantly watching over me & I can Trust Him, to take care of Every Area of My Life.”

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How many Christians actually Feel this way about Christ? How many of us are Truly convinced that no matter what happens in our Lives that Goodness & Mercy are going to Follow Us because we are in the Shepherds Care?

It’s Easy to Speak this way when everything is going great;

-If my Health is Excellent.

-If my Income is Flourishing.

-If my Family is all doing Well.

-If my Friends are all Found of Me!

It’s Easy to say, “Surely Goodness & Mercy Shall Follow me all the days of my Life,” when things are going according to my plans.

But what Happens when it seems as if the Bottom Drops out of your World & it Feels like God is a Million Miles Away? Have you ever been there?

1. What do I say when I stand by the Bedside

of someone that I Love & They aren’t

getting any Better?

2. How do I react when my Job folds & there isn’t enough money in the Account to meet the bills?

3. How do I respond when Everything isn’t Peaceful in the Home?

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4. What do I say & how do I Respond When Suddenly I’m facing an Enemy & he is doing his best to Destroy Me?

These are the Times that Test a Persons Confidence in the Care of Christ. When my World seems to be Unraveling at the Seams, can I still say, “Surely Goodness & Mercy Shall Follow Me all the days of my Life?”

Or is this just simple just another Religious Platitude that we Quote?

-God will take care of you!

-Just Trust the Lord.

-God’s got Everything under Control.

-Do we Really Believe what we’re saying?

p. 7

Do we Really Trust God in Every Area of Life?

(We Want To But Do We)?

A. Do We Trust God In The Area of Our Finances?

-Is it God’s Money or is it Yours.

-Does Your Checkbook say, “I Trust God?”

-Does Your Checkbook say, “I’m a Steward”.

-Money Talks, it really does!

-Can you Trust God with the Tithes?

Malachi 3:8-10

“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, In what way have we robbed you? In Tithes & Offerings.

p.8

Malachi 3:9-10

“You are cursed with a Curse, For you have robbed Me, even this whole nation.

“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My House, And Prove Me now in this, says the Lord of Hosts, If I will not open for you such a Blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.” (Do you believe that)?

B. Do We Trust God To Direct Our Steps?