re Psalm 23

Child, the Psalm does not say, “I shall fear no evil so long as I don’t do anything stupid or disobedient.”

It says, “I shall fear no evil, for thou art with me.” There are no qualifiers. The Lord is with you, period.

Now, REST!

My Sins are Gone

When the Lord forgives, the sin is gone. Your tendency has been hold tight to the memory of past sin and even to magnify it in order to punish yourself. You do this out of the mistaken idea that this will prevent further sin, but the opposite is true. You place yourself under the demands of the law rather than choosing to walk in the light of God's grace.

Self-punishment is ineffective. Staying clean before the Lord does not entail self-analysis. “Search me O God and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me...” (Psalm 139:23-24). This is a picture of release. Dear One, it is ever your mode of operation to attempt to take the reins of control over your own sin. You understand release in other areas of your life, but it is in the area of your own heart and yes, your own behaviors that God wants you to learn to practice release. Lay back in His arms and rest. You wear yourself out and you actually manage to weary the Almighty God with your constant thoughts of how you might improve yourself.

God understands human frailty. He sent His only Son to save you from sin born of exhaustion and fear. You feel despair because giving way to sin weakens the ability to resist further sin. It is then you must depend upon His grace. When you can’t save yourself, you need a Savior. He is your ace in the hole, your hidden blessing; your way out when no way seems possible.

Grace is not a goal that you must work hard to obtain. God's grace has covered you, His power has infilled you, His presence has sustained you, and His strength has enabled you to walk the path He's engineered for you. You ever hope to attain a standard that you have already achieved; God is with you, His grace has covered you; you may rest in Him.

The Really Real

You must not spend so much time analyzing and recording the details of your circumstances. Your real life does not consist of what you can see or are able to experience with your five senses. Your true life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3, below). The difficulties you face are temporary inconveniences.

Dear One, you have spent much time describing in detail how you feel, but you have not inquired of the Lord. Now listen to the One whose grace is sufficient for you, for His power is made perfect in weakness (see 2 Corinthians 12:9).

You have been given freedom of choice over what you will allow into your mind. In this way, you are actually able to block the Almighty God, who is willing to help you.

You are able to hear His voice if you choose to do so.

Scripture: "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory" (Colossians 3:2-4).

Release

Let go of self castigation and recognize this fact: everything is the Lord's "fault." He has taken every sin upon His own shoulders; He has taken the blame. Understand that in His own flesh the ordeal of suffering for your sin has been finished. The only way you can cause him additional pain is by a refusal to release your burdens to Him. Release grants peace like that of a weaned child with its mother; a weaned child is happy with the status quo.

Let me clarify something for you about release. Letting go requires no further action on your part. You lay it down, and you can then rest just as the Lord was able to sleep in the midst of the storm. No plan of action is required.

Do not misunderstand. Avoidance is not His will for you; release is not the equivalent of avoidance. Release is like handing the reins of control over to another, more qualified driver. You are still along for the ride! Pray when the Lord says to pray, rest when He says to rest, and take action when He says to act (which will be far less often than you think).

Dear One, His presence has not departed from you, but this constant worriment over your circumstances has robbed you of the joy of His presence. Give Him your own sin, and release also those you love into His care. Pray for them, but don't spend your strength unwisely. You do not have to agonize over them; Christ has died for them.

Place your trust in your Lord and God. You are His heart, and His life dwells within you. If He were to hurt you He would hurt Himself. Trust in the Lord and do not think of this as “giving up.” Release is a strategy of successful warfare.


Scripture: "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert, your enemy the devil prowls around like a hungry lion, looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:6-8).

"Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong," (Zechariah 8:13).

The Lord is With You

When your emotions are in turmoil it is difficult to act upon what you know to be true rather than railing out at others from grief or fear. You may rest because the Lord is your help. You may release fear because you know that He is with you and He will help you.

Do not be afraid, Little One. The Lord has not departed from you. "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart...(Psalm 73:26)". This means that although your flesh may become weak, that by the power of the Holy Spirit in you that your flesh will be strengthened. "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit..." (Zechariah 4:6).

Beloved, He is sorry for your pain, but think of how you feel when a child expresses great anguish over a wound that is not very deep. The Lord knows that your heart hurts, and He is with you--do you hear? God is with you! The Lord makes all the difference. Human beings can't destroy you when He is present in you. This wound does not go deep not because it is not grievous, but because He is. Don't look at the hurt, look at Him.

Do not be afraid to lay down, the Lord is with you. Do not be afraid of lack of sleep or even of no sleep; He will provide for you. Do not be afraid for your loved ones, everything is in God's control. Trust Him. It comes down to this, trust Him.

Scripture: "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes" (Psalm 118:8-9).

God is (was, will be) With You

Because you are coping well, you sometimes come to believe that your life is easy when compared to that of others. Your life is not easy, Dear One. You have learned to walk through the valley.

Do not repine. If the years were rolled back and you had the opportunity to make your life decisions once more, the outcome would be the same. You would do it again, not only for the sake of those who will follow you, but also for Christ's sake. And in the end, the great blessing that will rest on your shoulders because of Him will be enough. You would do it again. The Lord knew this, even as you walked into your life circumstances with faith but innocent of understanding. The responsibility for the outcomes of your decisions rests with God alone; but He knows you so completely that He knew what you would do if you had been in possession of all the information and understanding that will one day be yours. He directed you, and you listened; He led, and you followed. Great reward will be yours because of the faith and obedience you exhibited as you walked into the circumstances in which you now live; He has seen, He has blessed; He will bless, He is blessing.

God is with you right where you are today.

Scripture: "'Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,' declares the Lord. Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, 'Now, I have put my words in your mouth" Jeremiah 1:7-9.

He is Able to Keep Us From Falling

This morning the Lord has been teaching me from the book of Jude. “Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion” (Jude 1:11).

Cain was jealous and committed murder out of that feeling of inadequacy. His fury over the fact that his brother’s offering was accepted and his own was not became murderous.

The warning for me here is not to “get even” when someone makes me feel inadequate, but to take these emotions to the Lord. And a secondary warning is to bring appropriate sacrifices to the Lord in the first place, and not sacrifices of my own choosing.

Balaam was a prophet for hire. This warning has to do with the avoidance of becoming preoccupied with the medium or “the art” of writing about Truth rather than being wholly occupied with The Truth Himself.

Korah rebelled against the authority of Moses and Aaron and was destroyed.

“And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day” (Jude 1:6)

Here is the Lord’s guidance to me regarding Jude 1:6:

In your own home the Lord has granted you authority. This authority is connected to the humility of longsuffering. Should you become prideful and decide to place yourself above those whom God has entrusted to you; should you decide to abandon these heart responsibilities by distancing yourself either physically or emotionally, disaster will result. Pride is a danger as you receive recognition for the ministry with which God has entrusted you. Pray to be kept from pride. Be cleansed of anger as well; do not blame human beings for the circumstances God has allowed. Human beings can’t stand under your accusations but the Lord accepts into the vast calm of the limitless sea of His love the agony of your heart’s cries.

All your fresh springs are in the Lord. He is not your pacifier, He is the Lord; He is your God and your strength. At times you beg Him to heal your wounds, but instead, He strengthens you to stand up and to walk despite your injuries. Either way, He is the Lord of your life. Trust Him. Give Him the honor and praise due His Name.

“To the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen” (Jude 1:25).