I’ll use Psalm 145:1-3 and 31:1-4 in the Temple service today.

My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down ion Amos 3. The Mind of the Spirit engaged the spirit of my mind in verses 7-8:

Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

Amos 3:8 The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?

God always telegraphs His punches. Consistently, throughout Scripture, we see witness by the Spirit to this truth. Read Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, the prophetic segments of the Gospels, the Acts, the Epistles, the Revelation. Consider Pharaoh in Egypt, and Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. Then consider your own life: how many times did God speak to you through a Bible passage, in personal reading or proclaimed from the pulpit, the caution of a friend, or family member, or even some stranger, and you recognized in the moment or in time the Lord’s voice in your heart warning you, alerting you, checking you. God always telegraphs His “punches.”

Along the still waters, I thought about how completely true it is that God announces Himself and His judgments in advance. When our destruction comes suddenly, it is only when we have ignored His repeated calls and pleading. There are many samples, but Proverbs 29:1 summarizes them all: “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” The foolish are always surprised by the judgment (See Proverbs 1:20-33).

In the valley, kneeling in the shadow of His Cross, I asked the LORD to forgive me for the many times I hardened my heart against His reproofs. For every occasion in which I added grief to the groaning of the Spirit for me (Romans 8:26; Ephesians 4:30), when I’ve added to the burden He bore on the Cross, for me (2 Corinthians 5:21), I felt the shame of my sin and the relief of His mercy. He spoke:

“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).

He bore the Cross for me, enduring the shame and the pain for the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:1-2); it is no more than reasonable service that I do so for Him (Romans 12:1-2; see Galatians 2:20).

At the table, my Shepherd anointed my head with His oil  and filled my cup, mingled with His grace. We moved together to enter into the harvest, and just as we entered the fields I cast a glance behind me and there they were, dutifully following: Goodness and Mercy. This day, I was especially grateful to see mercy there.

Praying for revival! 🙏

Going live asap:

https://rumble.com/v7gcktc-shepherds-pasture-god-telegraphs-his-punches.html