Well, good morning, Crossing Church.
So good to see you today. How are you doing?
Great. Hey.
I want to welcome all of. You that are joining from all of
our locations all across these three.
States, If you're inside or online, we are so absolutely
thankful for you as well. And we're in a new series called
Handle with Care, But before we. Get into that new series.
I just really want to encourage you if you.
Didn't have a chance to hear last week.
'S sermon. You need to hear that sermon,
and I don't want you to, like, get online, put in your earbuds
and listen to it right now. OK?
I'd like for. You to listen to me, but I would
really like. It was.
It was just a brilliant sermon that Clayton delivered last week
to to wrap. Up truth intention.
It was amazing to me and I think that it'd really be a.
Blessing to you as well and we're coming off of RISE
Conference. Anybody go to RISE conference?
I heard that was. Incredible.
And all the men that were at Uncommon conference remember
that. Anybody, any men in here?
You see this stuff that wears off?
Doesn't it? It kind of wears off last two
weeks. I've been at 2 uncommon
conferences. You know, this was an idea that
Clayton had nine years ago, actually 10 years ago, and the
first one was nine years ago. And it's been a.
Blessing to the men of our church for all of those years a
couple of years ago, Clayton. Really wanted to see other
churches to be able to. Experience what we experienced.
And last year, there was one other.
Church in South Carolina. That said, we're going to do it
this year. There's been 11 churches all.
Across the country that have been doing that and I had the
privilege of. Preaching at a couple of those
in Washington IN last weekend and the weekend before that, I
was suffering for Jesus in Myrtle Beach, SC.
But other than that, you know, it's just just just great.
And it was so amazing to watch these men really connect with
their. Lord in a new way.
And that's that's really. What I want for you today I.
Really want you to connect with the Lord in a new way.
I want you to have a heart. For the Lord, I want to have a
heart for the Lord. And that's what this series is
about. It's about David.
It's about King David and it's about your heart and how he was
the man after God's heart and what is.
There that we can capture there. That we can make our own and and
I'm really privileged to be able to kick it off both this.
Weekend and next week. Have you ever noticed that God
tends to choose the? Last and the least.
To be the ones that become some of the greatest spiritual.
Change agents in history. He just does that.
I mean, he doesn't always pick the.
Prom king. He doesn't, you know, always
pick the homecoming queen. He picks people that.
Frankly, you and I wouldn't like Abraham when he was in his 70s
when God first called. Him To be the father of a great
nation. I mean, that's kind of a silly
time to call a guy to be the father.
Of a great nation when he's in his 70s and he doesn't have his
first child. Till he's in his 90s, he only
has two sons, one of them questionable lineage.
Yet God chose him. He also chose Jacob.
Abraham's son Isaac had twins Esau and Jacob Esau.
Came out first, was delivered 1st, and so he was.
Technically the older brother, but they were so.
Different and and Jacob was definitely the weaker of the two
twin brothers. But God called him to be the
Father of 12. Sons who ended up becoming the
patriarchs of the 12 tribes of Israel.
Of those sons, Joseph was the younger and weaker of those
brothers, but God chose Joseph to become the change.
Agent to save his family and the entire known world at that time
from starvation. And he did that in this
convoluted way where he ends up being sold into the slavery of.
Egypt and becomes second in command.
Incredible story of what God? Did with someone that would have
been marginalized. Moses was 80 years old.
When God called him out of Midian, he was a.
Forgotten Exile, and God chose him to be the Deliverer.
Of the nation of Israel. Deborah was the.
Woman in a man's world when God chose her to be the judge over
Israel so that he could deliver his people.
From an army of oppressors. And he used the courage of
another woman named Jail to actually take out the.
Captain of the army. Of this invading army, Gideon
was the least and the weakest of his family, and God chose him to
deliver the nation of. Israel out of the hands of an
overwhelming force, with only three hundred men who had no
weapons. Pretty amazing.
It's this continual theme that goes through both the.
Old and the New Testament. And I believe that God does this
because. He wants to leave no doubt that
it was God. And only God, who was actually
doing all of the supernatural work.
And maybe God can do that with us, but biblically I don't.
Think there's any greater example of this than David?
David is the 8th. And youngest son of his father,
Jesse, a Hebrew. Who lived in Bethlehem between
1000 and 1100, years before Jesus was born in the same
place. So we're talking.
About something that happened 3100 years ago now.
David was just a boy. At the time, he's maybe 12 to 15
years old. When he was anointed to become
the next king of Israel by. Samuel.
Samuel was this great prophet. He was a priest.
And he was the final judge, the 10th judge of the Judges of
Israel. He was considered the spiritual
leader of. Israel at that time and even
though that was secretively. Done.
David becomes a personal aide to King Saul.
It plays the harp. For King Saul, because Saul has.
These bouts of madness, I mean not anger, but like craziness.
And when David plays the harp, it calms him down.
He also serves as Saul's. Armor bearer, the King's armor
bearer. And he goes on to become the
this great. Hero of the Nation when he faces
down Goliath. The Philistine.
This. Giant This.
Incredible Giant in the valley of Elah.
Then he becomes the target. Of Saul's madness and jealousy,
because people are really flocking to David this young.
Man who's done this incredible thing, and so he has to run from
Saul's anger. And then Saul later on dies at
the hands of an enemy. Then David does.
Become king, and he's this mighty warrior throughout his
life. And he he builds the nation of
Israel. It was really tribal until
David. And then it becomes a nation
under his kingship, and he uses the spoil of both war and wealth
to. Fund the building of the First
Temple, one of the Ancient Wonders of the World.
David is also. A man of incredible contrasts.
His highs are very, very high and his lows.
Are just as extreme, and he serves as a prophet as well as
the. King and his songs because he
was a. Musician.
They're preserved in the Book of Psalms.
Now he wrote or composed half. Of those psalms, there's 150
psalms and we know that David did about. 75 of those psalms do
you know that David has more chapters about?
Him in the Bible than anyone else, with the exception of
Jesus. 15 chapters in First Samuel all 20, 4 chapters of
2nd. Samuel, the 1st chapter of
first. Kings and 75 psalms for 115
chapters. You know, I stand up here,
Clayton stands up here and we'll deliver sermons.
Based on a person in the Bible had maybe one or two verses.
David had 115 chapters. Now if God chose to put David.
In that prominently in his Bible, don't you?
Think that we need to spend some time looking over David.
And what he can teach us now the most defining verse about David.
Isn't even in those 115 chapters.
It's in a different chapter because.
He's not actually named in it, even though it is referring to
him, and that is First Samuel. Chapter 13, verse 14 And this is
Samuel speaking and he's talking to.
Saul the king at the time after Saul has discredited God and he
says. But now your Kingdom will not
endure. The Lord has.
Sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of
his people. Because you.
Have not kept the Lord's command.
The Apostle Paul reaffirmed that passage.
In the book of Acts chapter 13 verse 22, when he was writing he
said after removing Saul. He made David their king.
God testified concerning him. I have found David's son of
Jesse, a man after my own heart, and he will do everything I want
him to do. Wow.
So what does that mean? What does it mean to be someone
after God's own heart? You know what?
I think everyone I'm talking to right now that's listening to
me. I think you want that I do I.
Really. Do.
I think in your heart you want that?
I would want to be a person who was considered someone after
God's own heart, a man after God's own heart, a woman after
God's own heart. That I would raise my children
that they would be after God's own heart.
I think we want that. So I don't think you're leaning
away right now. I think you're you're leaning in
and So what is it that we? Can discover from David's desire
for God. That can help us to have a
better relationship with. Him.
Is it possible that we could actually?
Become people after God's own heart as well.
Well, maybe we need to learn a little bit more about David.
See David. Was known by God before he was
ever chosen. He was known, and I want you to
know that God knows you. There's not a person I'm talking
to that God hasn't chosen. Some of you are thinking, well,
maybe you know, God didn't ever choose me.
He chose. He has chosen every one of us
for specific things he wants. Us to do.
How do I know that? The Apostle Paul said.
That in Ephesians 210 he said, For you and I, we are God's
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works that God is.
Prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
That means you're chosen, all right.
All of us are chosen to do things to.
Accomplish things for God. And you are known to God.
David was known to God. He was known to God before he
was chosen. We know that from those
scriptures. And then he was chosen by God.
Now I want us to do a. Deep dive to get a better.
Understanding into David and there are clues that we can
follow biblically. And they're like bread crumbs to
get a better understanding of who he actually is.
And I have to tell you, I was studying for this.
And like a whole new world. Opened up for me like I actually
from last week to this week I. Have a completely different
understanding of David than I did from last week, and I want
to be able to impart some of that to you.
Some of you may think, well, you know, I I've read a lot about
David. I, I, I know something about
David. Some of you don't know anything
about him. But I want you to to listen what
I have to say, because I think it's really.
Going to have an impact on your understanding of David, many of
David's. Psalms are actually reflections
of his personal experiences that are.
Set to rhyme and music, but there's none of them that are
more revealing than the 23rd Psalm.
And the 23rd Psalm is where David is.
Reflecting on being a shepherd, Right.
So Jesse, his father. Gave him the responsibility of
taking care of the sheep out in the fields.
And that's important to understand because shepherding
at the time of David was viewed as the lowest of positions.
But when David writes Psalm 23, he elevates it.
He gives. You a completely different
understanding of shepherding than what his culture believed.
He even refers to God as a shepherd, the Lord.
Is my shepherd. It's interesting because.
When P if people would have heard that. 3100 years ago, 3000
years ago, they would have what? I mean, that's.
I mean, it's almost like a curse to be a shepherd.
And you're saying the Lord, the Lord is the shepherd, the Lord?
Is my shepherd. These were the responsibilities
that he had as a boy to lead the sheep, to feed the sheep.
To find water for the sheep, to protect them, to keep them
healthy and to keep them strong. And it's actually a perfect
picture. Of what?
An intimate. Personal relationship with Jesus
Christ looks like. Now, where I'm standing about
right, about right. Here, where I'm standing,
underneath my feet, there is the.
Concrete underneath my feet I. Wrote the 23rd song.
It's still down there. As a matter of fact, on every
stage at the. Crossing If you go under that
stage on the concrete, it's written 23rd Psalm.
We stand on the 23rd Psalm. Do you know why?
Because it is a perfect description.
Of what it means to have an intimate, personal relationship
with Jesus Christ. And that's our mission
statement. Isn't it interesting that even
though we're a New Testament church?
The mission statement comes out of the Old Testament, the 23rd.
Psalm. And when David wrote the 23rd
Psalm, he wrote it. In the middle of three psalms,
the 22nd, the 23rd and the 24th. And actually, what David was
writing when he wrote that was. Prophetic in nature.
It's part of this amazing trilogy showing our past, our
present and our future. And I would encourage you to go.
Back and read. It won't take long to read 2223
and 24, and it's not about David's past.
Present and future. Because everything he's writing
about was in his future. That's why it's prophetic.
But if you place. Yourself in 2223 and 20 4 you
are the. Meat in the middle of the
sandwich? You're like, right?
In the middle of it if you. Go to Psalm 22.
You know how it begins. My God, my God, why have you
forsaken me? Why are you so far from me?
The actual words that Jesus used 1000 years.
Later when he was dying on the cross, if you read.
Further, in Psalm 22, what you'll find out is A is a
perfect. Detailed description of
crucifixion they've pierced. My hands and my feet.
I can count all my bones. They divide my garment and cast
lots for my clothing. It's all in Psalm 22, written
1000 years before Jesus was even born in David's future.
He's saying this prophetically. It even it even describes the
resurrection. But you will not leave me in the
dust of death. It says later on, but I was but
but I will see the light of life.
Psalm 22, The Gospel Message you Get.
To Psalm 20, three and it's talking about what life is like
being. Part of the Kingdom of God in
this present day, in this age today.
Lord's my shepherd, I I I shall not want.
He makes me lie. Down in green pastures and
leaves me beside still waters, he he restores.
My soul leaves me in paths of righteousness for his name's
sake, and even though I walk through the valley of the shadow
of death, I'll fear no evil. Because you're with me, your
rod, and your staff. They comfort me.
You prepare a table. For me, in the presence of my
enemies, you anoint my head with oil.
My cup runs over, surely. Goodness and mercy will follow
me all the days of my life, and I'll dwell in the House of the
Lord forever. That's our present reality.
You get to Psalm 24. The earth is the Lord.
'S and everything in it, the people, all who dwell.
In it is talking about the coming Kingdom when Jesus
reigns. This is David.
Man, I would love to spend more time on that, but that's for a
different sermon. Sorry.
Back to the story. David's still just a boy.
He's working out in his father's field and.
Samuel comes to Bethlehem. This this ancient warrior
prophet priest guy because God. Told him that he would find the
next king there in the household of Jesse.
But Samuel couldn't let that be known because the present King
Saul would see that as a threat. And probably have him killed.
The Bible says that, so he. Comes under the reason of a
sacrifice. And I want us to read First
Samuel 16, five to 11, OK, Samuel replied yes, and because
they asked him if he came in peace.
He is a warrior. I have come to sacrifice to the
Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come
to the sacrifice with me. Then he consecrated Jesse and
his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, surely the
Lord's anointed stands. Here before the I guess.
I guess Eliab was was a good looking dude.
I guess he just. Kind of had that you know,
captain of the football team look and and Samuel's like that.
OK, God, I get to you, but the Lord?
Said to Samuel, Do not consider his appearance or his height.
For I've rejected him. The Lord does not look at the
things people look at. People look at the outward
appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
OK, All right. All right.
And Jesse called Abinadab. Had him pass in front of Samuel.
He's not a liar, but you know he's a Benedad.
Come on. But Samuel said the Lord has not
chosen this one either. Then Jesse then had Shama passed
by, but Samuel said, nor has the Lord.
Chosen this one, and Jesse had seven of his sons passed before
Samuel. But Samuel said to him, the Lord
has not chosen these, So he asked Jesse.
Are these all the sons you have? There is still the youngest,
Jesse answered. He's tending the sheep.
Samuel said. Sin for him.
We will not sit down until he arrives.
Verse 7 reminds us that David. Is already known by God for his
heart, but David isn't even. There, you know, they go through
this consecration and sacrifice with the seven sons.
Dave is not even part of it. He's not even invited to it.
You notice that he's like a complete outcast, like.
Why is that? You know, I told you before that
shepherding is a disgrace at the.
Time. And it was also an extremely
dangerous profession. I know that it was extremely.
Dangerous profession because later on.
When David wants to fight Goliath and he's.
Talking to King Saul, Saul says he's just a.
Boy. And he can't.
There's no way that he could defeat this giant.
And you what? David says he had already killed
a. Lion and a bear.
Wow. Killed a lion and a bear while.
Tending sheep. Here's my question.
Why would Jesse allow that danger to be inflicted?
On his youngest son, if it was that.
Dangerous to 10 sheep, Why would Jesse pick?
A boy named David to do that a. Young teenager, rather than one
or two or three of his. Other sons or son and some hired
hands. Why would he do that?
Did he want his son to die? There are actually indications
that he did. Want his son to die?
Now? Here's where.
I was learning this last week. How do I Why would I say a thing
like that? Well, shepherding.
Itself Sheep or predator magnets.
And you can see that David has already fought.
Two wild animals at the time that would that should have been
able to. Kill him.
Why had Jesse put his? Son in harm's way.
Well, that brings me to the second point.
And that would be a questionable lineage in Psalm 51, David.
Is writing that Psalm, and it's about his repentance from being
in this sinful relationship with Bathsheba.
Covering it up by having Uriah killed.
In the battle and then being found out and in Psalm 51 he
said that this. Is some of those bread crumbs
right? He declares.
These words, surely? I was sinful at birth.
Sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Now, some of us might think, well, that's just hyperbole he
feels real bad about. Himself and he's saying that,
but I want you to consider that it might be a more literal
interpretation, because other translations actually.
Say in sin my mother conceived me that could be a.
Reference to Jesse. Having an extra miracle marital
affair that produced David. That he might have been 1/2
brother to those other brothers, they're actually.
Ancient rabbinical writings that give that same interpretation
that I was reading. In Psalm 2710, David writes
these words. Though my mother and father
forsake me, the Lord will receive.
Me. Why would he say that?
Why would he make reference to his father and his mother
forsaking him? You know his brothers.
Rejected him too. They mocked him in First Samuel
1728. When he's going to fight
Goliath. It says when Eliab.
Remember Eliab? You know, the captain of the
football team, David's oldest. Brother heard him speaking with
the men. He burned with anger at him and
asked why have. You come down here and with whom
did you leave those? Few sheep in the wilderness.
I know how conceited you are. Look what he says and how wicked
your heart is. He defined his heart as wicked.
But how did God? Define David's heart.
A man after my own heart, right? Obviously, Eliab.
Doesn't have a good handle on his brother.
You came down only to watch the battle.
Later on, after Saul decides he's trying to kill David
because he's jealous. Of him, the brothers actually
sided with Saul. In trying to kill David now, I
want you to look closer at this story.
In First Samuel, 16, 11B. To 13.
Let's read that again. There is still the youngest,
Jesse answered. We read this already.
He is tending the. Sheep, And Samuel said, send for
him, we will not sit. Down until he arrives.
So he sent for him and had him brought in.
He was glowing with the health and had a fine appearance and
handsome features then, the Lord said.
Rise and anoint him. This is the one.
So Samuel took the Horn of Oil. And anointed him in the presence
of his. Brothers and from that day on
the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David, and
Samuel then went to Rhema. So Samuel is.
Like the mega guy in ancient Israel.
I mean, Samuel comes to your house a big deal.
And so you know that you know that, Jesse.
Would have made this big feast feast.
For him, right. So here's this big feast.
But everybody's not there. David has been left out in the
field and Samuel says nobody's eaten anything until David comes
in. Here, how do you think it would
have felt to be those seven? Brothers.
You kidding me? We got this whole.
Meal ready? Everything's set up,
everything's ready to go. I'm hungry and and I got to
wait. For my pipsqueak brother to get
here. And somebody has to go and find
him. You know it It wasn't.
Like, you know, they could call him up on the phone and he'd get
on his four Wheeler and come back.
It would have taken a while. It would have taken a while to.
Send somebody to go find David out in some field somewhere.
They couldn't GPS the guy. And get him back.
Then once he comes back, you know he's going to, he's been
with sheep, you know what I'm saying?
So he's going to have to clean up so they're.
Just sitting there, waiting. Everybody's waiting until.
He gets found, he gets brought back, he cleans up.
He. Walks in and then what happens
before anybody sits? Down Samuel comes up to David
pulls out this. Horn of Oil and by the way.
There are only three occupations where there's anointing done,
and that's prophets, priests and kings.
It's a very selective process, not anybody gets to.
Be anointed. It's not something that you do,
just, hey, glad you're here. It doesn't happen like that.
It's a very, very big deal, especially.
When you're being anointed by the spiritual leader of the.
Whole country. And this is what happens.
David comes in, he's gotten cleaned up, he's ready for a
banquet, and they and Samuel anoints him.
And then they can eat read Psalm 23/5.
You prepare a table before. Me in the presence of my
enemies, you anoint my head with oil.
My cup overflows every. Time I have read Psalm 23,
probably the Most Precious Scripture.
In my heart I have always thought of all of David's.
Enemies out there? Never thought about his
brothers. Never thought about his father?
Never. Thought about his mother.
I think some of you might connect to that.
I think some of you might be looking back on your life and
you're like, you know. I never got a break.
Now I've had, I've had, I've had a difficult life.
Up to this point, it's been hard for me.
Maybe there's some bitterness in your heart over that because it
wasn't your fault like it was. Something that was imposed upon
you. I wonder if this passage of
Scripture will have a. Deeper, deeper impact on you and
the idea that you can be a. Person after God's own heart,
regardless of what's. Happened in your past.
How about that? You see, David had.
Plenty of reason for bitterness, but instead he chose.
Blessings. This is who he was.
Even when he was a boy. Even when he was invisible to
his family. Even when he was rejected by the
people that he should have been able to trust in.
And you know why? Because a heart for God, a heart
after God's heart, is a heart that.
Dwells in gratitude, and that is where David chose to reside in a
heart filled with gratitude. In a heart that was firmly
focused on the upper story, regardless of the harshness of
the lower story. His lower story was pretty bad.
But he didn't choose to live there.
He kept his eyes lifted up. Matter of fact that is that A.
Psalm. I will lift up my eyes to the
hills from whence cometh my help.
My help comes from the Lord. Who made heaven and earth kept
his eyes up? It's a heart that refuses to let
go of the truth at the. End of Psalm 2323 6 Surely your
goodness. And love will follow me all the
days of my life, and I will dwell in the House of the Lord
forever. Here's what David.
Is going to teach you and me today.
First thing he's going to do, he's going to take away all your
excuses. And he's going to take away all
mine because some of you today. Were dealt a bad hand when it
came to your family. Some of you have been abused or?
You've been mistreated, and maybe there are times when you
felt like God. Had abandoned you.
You've let your heart get. Lost in that lower story, but
God is greater. Than the circumstances of your
past, and he is greater. Than the circumstances of your
present. And God, and only God is.
Able to remove the bitterness from your heart if you will
choose. The blessing instead and Jesus
is a constant reminder that you have not been abandoned because.
He knew your name when he was bleeding and dying alone on that
cross. You know that some people go,
well, Jesus died for the whole world.
He died for the world. He had the world on his mind.
No, he had you on his mind. Your name, your life, You're
just like. He knew everything about David.
He knew his. Heart before he chose him.
He knows yours and he's chosen you.
And even though right now, at this particular moment of your
life, you might feel lost in that lower story, let me tell
you. Something.
There is not a Good Shepherd, but a great Shepherd.
There is a great shepherd who goes out searching for that one
lost. Sheep and brings that sheep back
home, and he can do that for you today.
We're moving to a time of decision.
You know, when I read 23, Psalm 23, I wish I could, I wish I
could identify with the Shepherd, You know, pastor of a
church, big church. Yeah, a lot of people.
You know, 11 locations. God.
I'm not impressing him. Sorry.
I wish I. Could identify with a shepherd,
but the truth is I. Identify with the sheep.
Sheep are dumb. I mean, have you ever looked at
sheep? Like you ever watched them, do
you? Do you think that?
Sheep are like in the field and they're going, I mean, birds do
that, not sheep. You know what sheep do?
And that, you know, if there's grass, they eat it, and then if
there's some more grass, they eat.
It they don't look around here where all the rest.
Of the sheep, grass, grass, grass.
Right. No, no, no.
That's how they get lost. They didn't mean to get lost.
They didn't wake up that. Day go, I'm going to get lost
today, but they do. And then the shepherd has to go
out. And find them because they're
dumb and they smell bad. You see that picture of Jesus?
That they? That they.
Paint. You know it's a it's a white
Jesus, which is totally. Wrong.
You know, with the strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes like.
An Aryan Jesus, so dumb and he's holding the sheep.
Have you? Seen that?
Nobody in their right mind would want to hold the sheep.
Why? Well, you know, as a field trip,
go out. And smell one Sometime they
stink. They don't clean up well.
I don't want to identify as a sheep.
But that's what I am. I'm a person who gets lost
easily. I don't mean to, but it ends up
happening. I get you know the the this the
next. Tuft to grasp and the next tuft
to Gras. And he has to keep and just
because I'm saved, just because I.
Accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior when I was 8 years old.
Doesn't mean I don't get lost. All the time?
Oh, the Good Shepherd. Loves his dumb, smelly sheep,
and he loves you. And you may be here, and you've
never ever. Come into an intimate, personal
relationship with Jesus Christ and the Great Shepherd is.
Walking the aisles, He knows you.
He knew you before he called you.
And he loves you, knew your name on the cross and died for you.
And he's there. For you right now, and I want to
invite you, not because I have the right, but because he told
me to. Invite you into an intimate,
personal relationship with Jesus.
Christ, so that Psalm 23 can be descriptive of your life because
that's what he can do. If you've never made a decision
for Jesus, there's going to be somebody right over there by
that baptistry, and your eternity will change in a
moment. Many of you are here today and
you're a lot like me. You'd you'd.
Rather have a higher view of yourself than sheep, but.
Sometimes you have to understand how lost you can get before
you're found and have a moment of clarity or recognition.
And I don't know what your. Circumstance is right now.
I don't know what you're fighting with right now.
I don't know what you're battling with right now.
God does. And he loves you through it.
And he won't leave you or forsake you.
And I invite you to come up here on these steps, get down on your
knees, just pour your heart out to the.
Lord, you're not going to tell him anything he doesn't already
know, but in coming down on in that humble position, you're
starting to recognize who he is. You're kind of encapsulating
that first verse of 23. The Lord is my shepherd, so you
know you're the sheep. I'm the sheep.
Lord, you're the shepherd. And to know how much you love me
in spite of the fact of who I am.
It's pretty amazing. Why don't you?
Do some business with God. I want you to have some time
with him and feel the wonder and the joy of his presence.
Why don't you let him remove the burden?
Would you stand with me in Jesus name, heavenly?
Father, I pray. That in this moment we come to
you, we'd let down our guard all.
Of the defense mechanisms everything that we build up to
make other people think that we're.
More than we actually are. Just be who we.
Are and although, father, we are so flawed, we are also your
children. And that is enough.
So I pray that we would. Just come to our Father under
the blood of our Savior. And be changed and renewed in
Jesus name. Amen.