Psalms 8:1, and 16:2; add 31:1-3

My Shepherd met me in His green pastures, led me along the still waters, met with me in the valley shadowed by His Cross, and called me to His table (Psalm 23). He is “my shepherd” (Psalm 23:1), the “good shepherd” (John 10:11, 14), the “one” shepherd (John 10:16), the smitten shepherd (Zechariah 13:7), the “great shepherd” (Hebrews 13:20), and the “chief shepherd” (1 Peter 5:4). It’s His pasture, His still waters, His valley, and His table. I dwell with Him in the heavenlies (Ephesians 2:6); this body is His (1 Corinthians 6:20), and the life I now live is His (Galatians 2:20).

The Mind of the Spirit returned me to ponder the advice and warnings of Jesus to His churches; today, I pondered Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-29). He stirred the spirit of my mind in verse 20:

Revelation 2:20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.*

Along the still waters, I reflected on the fierceness of my Shepherd’s protective instinct against those that prey upon His flock, bounded by His generous patience and merciful compassion.

He gave Jezebel a “space to repent”; He cautioned those following her to withdraw; He gave clear warning of what would happen if they did not repent, and even though He was displeased with the “angel” and the congregation that tolerated her false teaching, He distinguished between those that followed her teaching from those who did not (Revelation 2:21-24). With all of this, He did nevertheless warn all the church that He will “give to every one of [us] according to [our] works” (Revelation 2:23; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11; Revelation 14:13).

In the valley, my Shepherd called: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). I thought of the sweet song: I Come to the Garden Alone” (Miles-1912): I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses; and the voice I hear, falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses. And He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own, and the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known.”

At the table, we communed a while in sweet fellowship. He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. Goodness and mercy attended as we walked into the harvest.

Praying for revival! 🙏

Going live asap: (Probably around noon)

https://rumble.com/v7edwog-shepherds-pasture.html

[*Ephesus “left [their] first love” (Revelation 2:4), which withdrawal of their affections from the Lord allowed the spirit of antichrist early reentry after the prince of this world was cast out, and demoted to prince of the power of the air (John 12:31; Ephesians 2:1-2; 1 John 4:3; see 2 John 7). Pergamos tolerated the evil twin doctrines of Balaam (moral compromise, turning the grace of God into lasciviousness —Jude 4) and the Nicolaitans (giving to men the place of Christ), where Satan had succeeded in usurping a place of authority in the earth, “where Satan’s seat [was]” (Revelation 2:13). These errors took full root in the church with ancient Jezebelism being planted in Christ’s church by her namesake (Revelation 2:18-29). This evil grew into the “Great Whore” of Revelation 17.]