DIVINE: God our Shepherd Scripture Study - Part One (Week 11)

Hello, dear ones. It's so good to be sharing with you again. The more I am spending time reminding myself of who God is, the more I am convinced that who I believe God is makes a huge difference in my perspective on my life and the lives of those around me. In particular, I'm finding my TRUST increasing. If I remember God is our Creator, I trust Him more with our weaknesses. If I remember He is our Deliverer, I pray more, trusting He is listening and always at work. If I remember He is my Shepherd, I look to Him more often and trust He will guide and provide for me and those I love.

This week's scripture study focuses on knowing God as our Shepherd and I for one am so grateful we are not left to figure out this life alone. I'm thankful for a good Shepherd who KNOWS ME and loves me and desires for me to KNOW HIM and love Him and trust Him and follow Him.

Instead of sharing one long recording of all the Shepherd verses, this time I split the list of verses into two sets. (You're welcome! Haha!) I'll share the recording and video for the second set of Shepherd verses next weekend.

Maybe you're wondering what to do with all of these verses. Personally, I enjoy listening to them when I'm doing the dishes or driving in my car or going for a walk - or even when I'm falling asleep at night! I let the living, holy word of God just wash over my mind and soak into my heart. You can also take one or two passages and after reading them and maybe copying them into a journal, think and pray about questions like these:

What does this verse/passage say about God?

Is this a new idea for me? Or one I remember often?

How could remembering this affect my life today?

How does this change how I interact with God? how I think about myself? how I interact with others?

You can also take the verses and turn them into a prayer. ("Trust in the Lord with all your heart" can become a prayer saying, "Lord, please help me to trust you with all of my heart.")  

Click below to listen to, read, or print out the verses. 
Video of the God our Shepherd verses being read
Audio only of the verses (with no music)

PDF printable of all of the God our Shepherd verses

Part One

Numbers 6:24-26 NET

24 “The Lord bless you and protect you; 

25 The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; 

26 The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”

Psalm 121 CSB
1 I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber.
4 Indeed, the Protector of Israel does not slumber or sleep.
5 The Lord protects you; the Lord is a shelter right by your side.
6 The sun will not strike you by day or the moon by night.
7 The Lord will protect you from all harm; he will protect your life.
8 The Lord will protect your coming and going both now and forever.

Psalm 23 NLT A psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.
2 He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.
3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.
4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
5 You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.
6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 91:1-4 NLT
1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.
3 For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.
4 He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

Isaiah 40:11 NIV
11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

Proverbs 3:5-6 CSB
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.

Psalm 116:7 CSB
7 Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.

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This week, may your soul find rest in God, your good Shepherd. He loves you so very much.

Peace to you,

Melissa

If you've missed any posts from the DIVINE: Transformed by Knowing God series, you can find them all here.

DIVINE: Transformed by Knowing God as our Shepherd (Week 10)

Hello, friends! 

Over two months have passed since we started this journey toward seeking to know God more deeply. Have you noticed any transformation happening in your heart? If not, don't be discouraged. Just because we can't always see the growth, doesn't mean it isn't there. 

Throughout this series so far, I have been especially blessed by the time I have spent listening to and soaking in God's word. 

Listening to the verses about God our Creator, I was reminded over and over that God our Creator...

-is supreme over all.

-is eternal, everlasting, and existed before the universe was created.

-gives life to everything.

-makes his light shine in the darkness.

-does not grow weary.

-understands everything.

-shares his strength with us.

-is worshipped by multitudes in heaven and worthy of our worship on earth.

-made each of us with love and care, on purpose, and in his image for his glory.

-is exalted as head over all.

Listening to the verses about God our Deliverer, I have been reminded that God our Deliverer...

-is the same God who created us.

-is strong and powerful.

-is our helper and shield.

-is good and his faithful love endures forever.

-answers us when we cry to him.

-is our strength and our song and gives us victory.

-is trustworthy and delivers us from shame.

-watches us and is attentive to us.

-is our refuge and our fortress.

-is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

-prepares us to stand firm against the enemy.

-IS WITH US when we walk through every hard thing.

What a wonderful God we serve! He created us in love and delivers us from and carries us through every kind of trouble. Our God is our Creator and our Deliverer, and we will see in the next few weeks that he is also our good and faithful Shepherd. Whether we are waiting desperately for deliverance of some kind or simply living our day to day lives in this complicated world, we are not left alone to figure things out and simply hope for the best. We have a God who is close to us, who knows us, and who helps us know him and follow him. He IS the way. We are not lost sheep, because we have a good Shepherd. Watch your email next week for the collection of verses to help us know and trust God our Shepherd more deeply.

It takes time to seek God, friends, but knowing God is SO WORTH the time it takes. I hope you are encouraged by how God is revealing himself to you. As we continue in this study, this is my prayer for you, friends:

Ephesians 1:16-18 NLT "16 I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, 17 asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance."

I am praying that God will give each one of us spiritual wisdom and insight SO WE WILL GROW as we KNOW HIM MORE.

I am praying that God will flood our hearts with his LIGHT so we will know the CONFIDENT HOPE he has given each of us.

I love the line in this song Hymn of the Holy Spirit that says, "You're the light. You're my path. You're the Shepherd of my soul." May you know the love and faithful guidance and provision of the Shepherd of your soul this week.

Following Jesus with You,

Melissa

If you haven't taken or found time yet to watch the video Reflection on knowing God as our Deliverer from last weekend, you can find it here.

If you've missed any posts from the DIVINE: Transformed by Knowing God series, you can find them all here.

DIVINE: Transformed by Knowing God as Our Deliverer Video Reflection (Week 9)

For the last three weeks, we've been seeking to know God more as our Deliverer. In the video this week, I'm sharing with you what God has been showing me and what promises and truth I have been holding onto. Watch the Video Reflection on Knowing God as Our Deliverer here or click below. In the notes below, you'll find the main points and some questions to consider. (Click here for a printable copy.)

VIDEO NOTES & DISCUSSION/REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. God our Creator is also God our Deliverer.

How can knowing God as our Creator help us have confidence in Him as our Deliverer?

2. God is always paying attention, watching over and listening to us, but He doesn't keep us from experiencing trouble and difficulty. 

Why doesn't God keep us from experiencing pain and difficulty and trials?

3. God is teaching us to persevere and wait and He is training us for future battles. This kind of character building work TAKES TIME.

When have you had to wait for God to answer your prayers? What have you learned by going through difficult times?

4. Waiting can make us feel weak and weary and the devil will try to take advantage of that.

Do you usually remember to stand firm with God's armor so you can resist the enemy? What does "standing firm" look like?

5. God our Deliverer is WITH US in every difficult trial we face and He will always make a way even when we can't imagine how it's possible.

Have you experienced God making a way where it seemed impossible? Are you waiting for that kind of deliverance now?

In the first video in this series, I shared this belief: 

The more we know God, the more we will experience God's Presence, Pleasure, Promises, Plan, Perspective, Provision, Purpose, Peace, Protection, Power, Perfection, and Purity.

6. Remembering God is my Deliverer helps me find rest for my soul. When I trust Him and pour out my heart to Him I find refuge and peace.

As you continue to know God as your Deliverer, how do you hope to experience more of God? 

If you are able to join a Sister Circle this week, you can share your answers to any and all of these questions there or you can always leave a comment or send me a message and let me know what is connecting with you. I'd love to hear from you!

Next week we'll be shifting our focus to seeking to know God as our Shepherd. I know it's going to be so good and I can't wait to learn along with you.

May God our Deliverer give you strength and hope as you trust in Him and wait for Him this week.

Much Love,
Melissa

If you've missed any posts from the DIVINE: Transformed by Knowing God series, you can find all of them here.