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From Fear to Peace: Psalm 23


This compelling message reassures us that God’s goodness will pursue us relentlessly throughout our lives. Psalm 139 said He has every day formed in advance. It is His sovereignty and power that decides our future. Because He is a Good Shepherd, we need not fear death. We can truly be fearless.


The Valley of the Shadow: Trusting God

We need to trust in the Word of God. When I get ready to speak there are several

questions I ask myself. The first is: 1. Am I depending on the H.S. power or my own

cleverness.


Is it all my illustrations, jokes. The Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead and God is

in me supernaturally. The Lord is my Shepherd-what is there to fear? The Spirit who

raised Christ from the dead, we have the assurance that God is going to speak

through me.


You are scared of so many things. He wants to show us that He is our Shepherd.

Picture of people with absolute confidence, absolute peace. I used to feel weird

asking people to pray for me. Paul is asking for prayer for boldness. Paul when you

look in the Book of Acts, constantly praying for the boldness. Acts 4:29, Lord, look

upon their v.31 They prayed in this room so that we will not be scared. That’s not a

popular message. When they prayed, something happened, the room shook. They

spoke with boldness. Peter and John and the early believers prayed for that. When

they saw the boldness of the early believers and were astonished. Are people

astonished by your boldness? Some of us are very educated in Scripture. But I see

people who know the Word but don’t speak up.


Phil 1:27 Manner of life may be worthy.


Copy that passage. When people see us fearless, they are going to believe. When we

are united, striving side by side for the gospel. They see their courage. Clear sign.

Secure in their Shepherd, go through the most difficult things in life. Experienced the

real thing. No surprise that Satan would want to keep us quiet.

Is there any reason why God would cause this room to shake? We want the spirit

filling that God would use a human being and empower him with his spirit so that

there will be life-change.


God I thank you for prayer. Raise up an army in Ventura, love each other. Fighting

for the Gospel, your Story, Jesus Christ, died, risen, ascended, Judge and dwelling

with us forever. Because of the resurrection, death has lost its sting. Make us like

that. Use your Word to purify us. Help us see the lies of the Enemy. Help us look to

you, the Good Shepherd. Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of

our lives.


16:13

What are your favorite Kid’s Bible stories? David and Goliath, Jonah, Daniel and the

Lion’s Den. Parting of the Red Sea, Fish and the Bread, Noah’s Ark-when he killed

everyone. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, unscathed. Crucifixion, resurrection,

empty tomb. Samson and the whole hair thing. I didn’t like that one.


Think about all of those stories. Walk out of Sunday School, thinking, “My God can do

anything!” I feel like our teaching changes as we grow up. Those were the kid

stories. Now as we are more mature, we fail to preach them, because we find them

silly and unbelievable. Really believe God sent fire from heaven.


James 5:17. Elijah was a man just like us. (with a nature just like ours). Elijah was

just a person. David, Daniel, they were all just people. Called down fire from heaven,

but he prayed earnestly. As you get older, sometimes the very people who attend

church are almost wanting to take away our faith. Encourage each other to love and

good deeds. We may come believing God, and sometimes people squash that. Be

careful of our words. I have this childlike faith, and you hear others diminish your

faith.


Encouraged-they gave “courage”…you are made to feel dumb. Talked when you first

became a believer, you share of your faith freely. Pull you out of the world, protect

you, the more you study, the less you know. You get more discouraged and more

inadequate. I don’t know enough. I don’t have leadership gifts…like him. Elijah was a

man just like me. If you don’t believe that verse, and you look at Bible characters and

you put yourself on a different level than them. I’ve got to fight to believe that.

Believing lies-they prayed earnestly and believed God. I’m no different than them.

I’m better because of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.


Psalm 23 was so beautiful to me. I’ve never preached Psalm 23 in twenty years.

When I was asked to teach it, memorized it for the first time in my life. It has raised

by confidence level, the peace level. Sometimes we can exegete the beauty of this

passage. Exegete Humpty Dumpty…What is Humpty Dumpty??? An egg? You never

really thought about it. Here’s the part that bothered me. After he falls, the line that

bugs me. All the king’s horses, how are the horses going to help? Doesn’t make any

sense. Francis, it was kind of cute until you ruined it for me.


Really flows, absolute peace and confidence in the Shepherd. What more do I want

than that. God, YahWeh, He Himself restores my soul. He leads me to the right way.

All for his name’s sake. Valley of the Shadow of Death is a realy place. Ravine and

cliffs, predators and animals. There were even people who would hide and attack.

What would it feel like that ? All of the eyes, predators, on you. If I walk there, can I

not be afraid?


I see that staff. No one is going to mess with me. He will prepare a table, he’ll give me

a message. I don’t need the Shepherd, I know Jiu Jitsu…Goodness and mercy will

follow me and I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever.

Gotta be fearless. But people say “what if???” Then if that happens, God will come

through again. You find comfort in that power. He’s the One that lets me breathe,

will I collapse. Complete sovereignty over me? So grateful for that power. I’ll fear no

evil. The very thing I used to fear is now my greatest security.


Do you have that simple childlike faith? If Jesus really is your Shepherd, and you can

picture God walking with you, wouldn’t you want to go to the Valley of the Shadow

to see what He would do? What we try to do, set our lives up so we don’t have to

face the dangerous, uncomfortable places. I am going to see the other side of the

Shepherd. He’s created fear in us, but God calls you and you will let people talk you

out of it.


“Why would you do that? What responsible person would ever go there?” Sheeps

not afraid. He’s excited. I lost that faith for awhile. I almost lost faith, after all of

these years of taking me through these impossible situations. We can all look in the

mirror and get depressed. I listened to people discourage. My mind was all that

brilliant. He’s that stupid kid. That Asian kid, only has 3.8.

Moses send Aaron. A-A-aron. Remember Moses said, “I can’t speak” and God said,

“Who made your mouth?” God you screwed up. God you always have been there

with me. I shouldn’t have this wonderful God-fearing family. God is assuring He is

with Him.


People always doubted God in my life. Started a church. People said, “No one comes

because of you.” Take this little salary. If we live off of $36,000, God provides a frig.

Story after story. People are dying overseas. Kids and future provision. Seek that

God’s Kingdom is going to work. “Don’t do that.” Saw the need. Move in to an

apartment. You should give $50,000 to the church. God did it. Things start

happening. $100,000. Wanted you to give away a million dollars-He did it. “Crazy

Love” made a million….We gave the royalties. People said, “That wasn’t smart. You

shouldn’t give, save for emergencies.” You and your family are emergencies. Did you

live by faith. God came through for me. Valley of the shadow, India, Thailand, you

have the same Shepherd. God wants us to go back to our childlike faith. I could care

less about the economy. My God is with me. So what I might get killed? Scary? Please

don’t make me go to heaven!!!


When we live where the sting of death is gone, I can walk through anywhere, I don’t

fear anymore. Be careful with our words. We can make foolish mistakes. When you

seek His Kingdom sake, you are leading me through this valley.

You have been talked out of taking risks, serving. What if??? What if that happens?

Whole point is God is with You. You will stand before God. We need to follow, take

risks. Satan tries to attack. What would my faith be? The greatest times in my life,

are when God is working. Look at how rich I am in Christ. What else do I want beside

Jesus. Jesus needs to be your Treasure. You took me all through my life. I can’t wait

to dwell in your House forever. My God can shuts the mouths of the lions. If He

chooses to take you home, you’ll live with Him forever.


Walk out and be fearless. The early believers, all the saints lived that way. Have faith

in your forgiveness from God. Trust in the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

As we read about this Shepherd, it’s wonderful and comforting.



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