Psalms 8:1 and 16:2; added 31:1-4.

My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in Ezekiel 39-40. Ezekiel 39:29:

Ezekiel 39:29 Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

GOD intended that the kingdom would be restored to Israel after the seventy years that it was given to Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon (Jeremiah 25:11-12; 29:10).* Jesus lamented that He had repeatedly attempted to restore Israel, but she would not (Luke 13:34).

The pouring out of the Spirit, Ezekiel 39:29, refers to Pentecost, prophesied by Joel (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17), an event accompanied by the sign that signaled the offer of the kingdom to Israel (Isaiah 28:11; 1 Corinthians 14:20-21). However, when God took their “measure” (See Ezekiel 40), they failed to meet it; once again, they “would not” (Luke 13:34; see Isaiah 6:9-13; Matthew 21:33-45; Acts 1:5-8; 28:27-28; Romans 11:17-21).

Along the still waters, I reflected on how these things apply to the New Testament saint for whom they were written (1 Corinthians 10:11; Romans 15:4).

Our body is His Temple (1 Corinthians 6:19; 3:17). He has poured out His Spirit upon “all flesh” (Acts 2:28). The Spirit dwells in the hearts of the believer as the earnest payment securing the purchased possession (the believer’s body) to Him as His property waiting for the “redemption of of the purchased possession” (Ephesians 1:13-14), when He will change our vile body into the likeness of His own glorious body (Philippians 3:20-21). Meanwhile, it is God’s pleasure that His Son, Jesus, should manifest in our “mortal flesh” (2 Corinthians 4:11).

His measuring stick is the Scripture:

2 Timothy 2:19 ¶ Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

2 Timothy 2:20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

2 Timothy 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

The “vessel” is the believer’s body. We are to present it to Him as a “living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto Him,” as our “reasonable service.” And thusly are we to surrender to “be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Obeying this command is how we may “prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God”  (Romans 12:1-2). The word prove indicates showing something to be true or actively demonstrating its truth or completeness. By this, we make ourselves usable by the Master to fulfill the will of our Father.

In the valley, I knelt to worship Him with thanksgiving and prayer, presenting my body to Him as a living sacrifice, that wherever I am throughout the day, He will be present there, manifesting in my mortal flesh, so that His will is done in earth as in heaven.

I thought of Jesus saying, “My sheep hear my voice,” as in my heart His words burned: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). I took up my cross and followed Him.

At the table, He anointed my head with His oil, filled my cup with His grace, and set His yoke upon me. I was surprised at how easily the burden was carried forward as we went into the harvest. Goodness and mercy followed close.

Praying for revival! 🙏

Going live asap:

https://rumble.com/v78tv2q-shepherds-pasture.html

[*This assumes a return to their land included a return of the kingdom associated with God’s promises to Abraham connected with the Land. This is reinforced by the fact that the record of their return under the Decree of Cyrus indicates that although a remnant did return, many, if not most, did so unwillingly, and they did not nationally return to the LORD (Nehemiah 11:1; see also Ezra 9:3-4; and note Nehemiah’s struggles with the spiritual negligence and backwardness of the Jews: Nehemiah 13:13-22; and etc.). Jesus said He had repeatedly attempted to restore Israel, but she would not (Luke 13:34).]