23rd Psalms Christians: Going Places with God Lesson 3 Green Pastures & Still Waters, Psalms 23:2

 

23rd Psalms Christians: Going Places with God

Lesson 3 Green Pastures & Still Waters, Psalms 23:2

We All Need to Find Rest

According to Web MD, forty-three percent of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress.

75 to 90% of all doctor's office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints.

Stress can play a part in headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, skin conditions, asthma, arthritis, depression, and anxiety.

The OSHA declared stress a hazard of the workplace. Stress costs American industry more than $300 billion annually.

The lifetime prevalence of an emotional disorder is more than 50%, often due to chronic, untreated stress reactions. 

 

 Statistics on Pastors’ Ministry Stress

75% of pastors report being “extremely stressed” or “highly stressed”

90% work between 55 to 75 hours per week

90% feel fatigued and worn out every week

70% say they’re grossly underpaid

40% report a serious conflict with a parishioner at least once a month

78% were forced to resign from their church (63% at least twice), most commonly because of church conflict

80% will not be in ministry ten years later and only a fraction make it a lifelong career. On average, seminary trained pastors last only five years in church ministry.

100% of 1,050 Reformed and Evangelical pastors had a colleague who had left the ministry because of burnout, church conflict, or moral failure (2)

91% have experienced some form of burnout in ministry and 18% say they are “fried to a crisp right now”

Psalm 23:1-2 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

David in the first verse of Psalms 23 declares his relationship with the Lord.  "He is my shepherd."  Now because of this relationship, David begins to look at the benefits and results that flow from knowing the Lord as his own shepherd.

 We want the benefits that David rejoices in but often ignore the relationship which must precede all blessings.  Let's now look at the blessing God provides us as his sheep.

He maketh me to lie down.

David knows peace through his Shepherd.

Phillip Keller in his book "A Shepherd looks at the 23rd Psalms" says four things are required before sheep will lay down.

  They must be free from fear.

  They must be free from friction within the flock.

  They must be free from pest and insects.

  They must be free from hunger.

    David is not saying the Lord forces him down but provides the means by which peace is possible. Only through the shepherd can we find freedom from the fear, friction, annoyances and hunger of life.  

H How did the shepherd accomplish these tasks?  How could he provide these for his sheep? 

First his presence among the sheep eases their fear.  In times of stress, like a storm or the nearness of a predator, the sheep look for the shepherd.  Often in the times of David an instrument would be played like David's lyre or a shepherds flute to calm the sheep because they would know he was nearby if they could hear the music.

 Second, his intervention between battling sheep reduces friction.  If need be the shepherd would step between sheep which were fighting among themselves.  Often he would have to punish the more aggressive sheep with his rod in order to make the in-fighting stop.

 Third, his prevention measures control the insects and relieve the sheep.  In David's time oil would be carried by the shepherd to anoint the head of the sheep in order to repel insects from their eyes, nose and mouth.  In addition the shepherd would look out for places where insects would breed and would keep the flock away from there.

Fourth, his provision of good forage removes the hunger of the sheep.  The pastures which the sheep would lay down in were not accidental discoveries.  They were first searched out by the shepherd before the sheep were released from the fold.  He would then go and pull all poisonous weeds from among the grass and often seed the pasture with good forage grass and plants.

 How do you lay down?

In the life of spiritual sheep we cannot lay down at peace until we also are free from fear, internal strife, irritations of life and hunger.  Under the proper heading list things in your life which keep you from peace. 

Fear	Irritations	Strife	Hunger
Money fears. Health fears.	Insensitive people.  Noise	Those I am in conflict with.	Needs in my life not fulfilled.

Read the following passages,  first identify which blessing is in view and then discuss how each is accomplished through Christ.

John 14: 16-18, 26-27 Gift of the Comforter, given by Christ.

Matthew 5: 23-24, 18:15-20 Reconcilation with those I have offended, and those who have offended my.  Can be done because Christ has forgiven me.

Romans 5:1-5  Peace through the justification of Christ Death.

2 Timothy 3:14-17  The filling of God's word, which is inspired by God.

Are there other verses which tell us of the Shepherd's ability to give us peace? 

          If I do not feel at peace what must be done?  First, find the shepherd.  Where is Jesus in relationship to me.  If he is far away then I need to move close to Him now.  This is done primarily through prayer and repentance.  Secondly, Forgive those who are causing strife in my life and quit causing strife in others.  Third, trust God to bring you to a place in Him away from the tribulations and stress.  Fourth, feed at the rich tableland of God's word.  Open God's Word and listen to his voice of comfort and love.

          As we think of David watching his flock grazing, I can picture this scene in my mind.  Can I picture the same spiritual scene in my relationship with my Shepherd, Jesus Christ.  Am I at rest?  Is there peace?  Am I depending upon the shepherd to make me lie down?

He leadeth me beside still waters.

David finds refreshment in His Shepherd.

Let's refer back to Keller's book. Keller a former shepherd says that sheep get water in different ways.  In the early morning they graze on the grass covered with dew.  This sparkling, pure water is often enough to hold the sheep until the hot sun burns the dew from the blades.

 He also says that wells which have been in use for centuries were used by the middle eastern shepherd to water his flocks.

 The sheep would also follow the shepherd to quiet streams and springs where they could drink.  Wherever the sheep would find water it had to be still.  They could not drink from turbulent water.  Stephen Haboush, the Galellian shepherd, would take his flocks down to the Jordan river to drink, but before they could quench their thirst the shepherds would have to dig a long trench from the banks of the river.  Only then was it safe for the sheep to drink. 

Following the Lord to Still Waters

         The world we live in often leaves my spirit parched and dry, unless I find refreshment and re-creation, my spiritual senses also become dry and parched.  This in not just a spiritual problem, for the spirit affects the body.  If I do not come to "still waters" my life is adversely changed.

         To use Keller's application the still water can be found in three ways; early morning dew, deep wells and quiet streams.

         To be refreshed by the dew, I must find my Savior and shepherd in the early morning or late evening times.  It is during these times of stillness that my time with Jesus is most intimate and deep.

         Read Psalms 63:1-6.  How does it show us David's own refreshment by the dew?  David speaks of early and in the night watches.  Early morning and late at night, David sought God.

         What are some passages of God's word that are special to you during your time of solitude with God?  Share them and tell us why they are special to you. 

The dew applies to my personal quiet time with God, the well; however, are not quiet places nor are you usually alone.  The wells of Joseph's time were community wells, they served and helped all in the region.  As a spiritual sheep I need to follow my shepherd to these places of re-creation.  Where are they?  In the Lord's house.  Look back at Psalms 63, where did he see God's power and glory?  In the sanctuary. 

         The sheep that believes it can survive without coming to the well of the Lord's house is soon a very sick sheep.  In the table below list some of the reasons we need to drink long at the "well" of the Lord's church. 

How is my soul refreshed in God's House?

By the hearing of God's word.

By the presence of my shepherd

By the songs

By the fellowship

By the challenge of the message

By the prayers

          Finally, where do I find the quiet streams and springs?  These are found in the rough and tangled place of life.  I will only know the sweetness of these waters after following my shepherd through the difficult times of service.

         The coolest water you will ever drink is that which you drink on the hottest day and after the hardest work.  The greatest time of refreshment to your soul will be after the most arduous, faith testing service for God.   When my own reserves have been depleted God fills me with the waters of His Holy Spirit and my thirst is quenched and my soul is restored.  Read  Psalms 138 which reflect David's trust in God's ability to restore him.  

         In our hectic modern world more than ever we need re-creation.  God's acting upon our soul to keep us in His fellowship and service.  Christians should be the most stress free people on the earth, not because they do not have stress but because they find relief with the Shepherd, Jesus Christ.  How about you?  Can you lay down in the green pastures because there is no fear when Jesus is near?  Are you drinking from the still waters because you have followed Jesus to the quiet places?  If it had been too long since you were last here, or if you have never been, stop now and look for your shepherd.