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GTM - The Good Sheperd Part 5 - By Steve Durham. And now he comes to the point where the day is starting to end. He is preparing a table. Symbolism is the table being prepared at the end of the day. And he does it in the, and he says He does it in the presence of my enemies. David says, and then he says, you anoint my head with oil, and my cup runs over.
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GTM - The Good Sheperd Part 5 - By Steve Durham. And now he comes to the point where the day is starting to end. He is preparing a table. Symbolism is the table being prepared at the end of the day. And he does it in the, and he says He does it in the presence of my enemies. David says, and then he says, you anoint my head with oil, and my cup runs over.
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David is discussing Psalm 23 and the symbolism behind the table being prepared for him in the presence of his enemies. He emphasizes the personal relationship he has with God and how it allows him to lack nothing. David acknowledges that God takes personal care of him and is always with him. He highlights the importance of having a humble and obedient heart to establish a position at God's table. He also mentions the book of life and the great white throne judgment. David loves and reveres God's laws and acknowledges that God is his shepherd who provides for his every need. Overall, the message is about the close relationship between David and God and the trust David has in God's care and provision. Welcome, everyone. Go to meeting to Sabbath morning here in the Eastern time zone and wherever you are around the world. We certainly. Are happy to have you and enjoy your company. We've been talking about Psalm 23, I've been giving a series of those. So this is the 5th. 1, in that series, and we're up to verse 5 right now, verse 5. And 1st, I said, you prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil and my cup runs over. And this is a break between Christ dealing with the sheet. Caring for them walking through the journey through the day and the water and the place to lay down the good grass. And now he comes to the. So, a point where the day is starting to end. And he is preparing a table symbolism is the table being prepared at the end of the day. And he does it in the, he says he does it in the presence. Of my enemies, David says, and then he says. You anoint my head with oil and my cup runs over. Psalm 23 begins with. The Lord is my shepherd and notice the word. My David. Takes personal attention pays personal attention to the relationship he has with. The shepherd with Jesus Christ, I shall not want. I don't have nothing when you have that relationship with Christ. There is nothing that you lack if you enter into it properly and you seek him and love him and do the things he says, and any good covenant with him. You like nothing that's just a central theme in Psalms 23. David saying that with God is his shepherd. In life, he likes nothing. And it's reinforced throughout some 23. Some 41, we'll read a couple of songs here that have to do with. This table setting that he talks about. Some 40 and verse 1. He says, David says, I waited patiently for the Lord. He inclined into me and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of the horrible pit. Look at the trouble that David is talking about that he's in. Out of the mirey clay, he set my feet upon a rock. And we know that spiritually is Jesus Christ. Standing on that rock and established my steps. And when we keep the law, we establish the law and it's a path, it shows us the path to righteousness as he talks about earlier in Psalm 23. He has put a new song in my mouth. Look at the joy that he has a new song in my mouth. Even praise to our God. Many see Chelsea and fear and shall trust in the Lord. So, this is something that is for everyone for others as well. Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust. And does not respect the prowl. Nor those who turn aside to lies. So, those folks are not going to be at the table, are they? But those who make the Lord his trust. Oh, Lord, my God, many things you have done. Your wonderful works and your thoughts, which are toward us. God takes a personal attention and personal care with us. There is none to compare to you. If I could declare and speak of them, they would be more than can be told. Sacrifice and offering you do not desire. My ears you have opened. Burnt offerings and sin offerings you have not required. Then I said, lo, I come in the scroll of the book. It is written of me. Now, this is interesting. In the book, it is written of me. David knew quite a bit, didn't he? I delight to do your will. Oh, my God, your law is within my heart. David said earlier, oh, how I love your law. It's written in my heart. So, in Revelation 20, verse 11 through 15, we'll just read 11 and 12, Revelation 20. Then I saw a great white throne and the one who was sitting on it, from whose face the earth and the heavens fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the small, the great, standing before God, and the books were opened. Now, this is for everyone. This is at the end of time, at the end of the age of man, the great white throne judgment. The books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life. And we're speaking now of the first resurrection. And the dead were judged out of the things written in the book according to their works. So, there's two books. There's the book of life, written for those that live now. So, David was referring to the book of life. And 51, Psalm 51, 17, talking about sacrifices God didn't want, necessarily. They didn't please him as much as this. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart. God, you will not despise. And David knew that. David knew that to sit at that table, he needed to have a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart, a humble heart, yielding and submissive, obedient to God, to establish the law and establish that position that he had at that table with God. David acknowledges that God is always with him. God is looking out for his good. And he does with us, Romans 8, 28, all things work for the good of those who believe in God. Even in the darkest, in verse 4, even in the darkest valley of the shadow of death, David is looking toward the shepherd to care for him. Even in the most challenging circumstances, in the presence of my enemies, you have set a table for me. So, David had comfort. He knew that the shepherd would care for him. At the end of the day, he would sit down with God. And that symbolism, again, is sitting at that table in the presence of the trouble that he was in. But God had his back. God was going to take care of him. David lacked nothing. He knew that. And God inspired him to write this psalm. David loves God and wants to have a godly relationship with God, just as we should do that as well. As we grow in the love of God, we want to have that relationship as well. David lives his life in awe and reverence of God and his laws. He writes all the way through the psalms, he tells us that. His God is with him, supplying his every need and looking out for his welfare. So, in verse 5, David says, you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Again, symbolizing a close relationship with God. God loves us first. We love him because he loved us first. He will have that personal relationship. This is using, again, the example of a guest at the table of the Lord. But it also describes an outdoor situation, too. So, it's dual. It shows the customs of the time, where you come in and you sit down at a host house, and you are the guest. But it also shows with the sheep sitting at the table. It doesn't leave the outdoor setting. We'll go over that here in a minute. But first, let's talk about the guest situation. God has called us and he's chosen us to be his guests or his family, hasn't he? We know those scriptures. We're invited to be at God's table. That's a special invitation that we're given. It's an elect. It's a special chosen, elect, and the word be faithful. And to have that invitation from God to come and to sit at that table. We're an honored guest of a generous and loving God or loving host, Jesus Christ. He's the provider, the sustainer, the creator, the comforter. He's comforting. He's merciful. He's faithful. All those things. And he's our shepherd. Christ attends to David's every need, covering and showering him with personal attention and care, just like he did the sheep and does us. And by the way, we are God's sheep. Psalm 100 verse 3 says, we are the sheep of his pasture. So he has personal attention and care one on one. And just like Christ does with us, he did with David. And God loves us so much that he gave his only begotten son, didn't he? He gives his life for us. He's the door. John 10, verse 9 says, I am the door. We'll talk about that toward the end of the day at the second part of that. Verse 5. If anyone enters through me, he shall be saved and shall go in and out and shall find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it more abundantly. I'm the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. And he gives personally his everything. And he wants us to give everything to him, the heart, mind, soul, and our being. Everything. One hundred percent. Completely. Because that's how he deals with us. Abundant living. He wants us to have physically and eternally. Abundant life. Second Corinthians 9 says, verse 8. Second Corinthians 9. And God is able to bless you abundantly. So that in all things, at all times, even in the middle of trouble, even with the enemy around you, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. And that's the point. You have that. You have God's Holy Spirit. He leads you. He cares for you. He watches over you. And he wants you to sit at his table and grow. Feed, eat, and grow. And enjoy. Philippians 1.6 says, being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. And he says also in 2 Peter 3.9, he says, The Lord is not delaying the promise of his coming, as some in their own minds reckon delay. Rather, he is long-suffering, he's patient, he's merciful toward us, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. And we do that on a regular basis, don't we? Because we're not perfect. We make mistakes. But when we repent and come to God and ask for that blood of Christ to be shed on our behalf, and we're justified, and the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us, we're back in the good graces. We're back in the seeing as Jesus Christ in God the Father's eyes. We're back at the table again in good stead. Christ is covering and showering David and us and the sheep with all good things, in addition to protecting us. Now Psalm 17 is a very interesting psalm. It talks about, we talk about Psalm 91 being the protection psalm. Psalm 17 has an awful lot to say about sitting at a table and being surrounded by enemies, and being in trouble and difficulties, and God having your back and taking care of you. It says in verse 1, Hear the right, O Lord. In other words, the righteous. Hear those that are straightened and with you, and straightened and justified. Hear those that are trying, that are repenting. And David was. He had a heart for God. He says, Hear the right, O Lord. Attend to my cry. Give ear unto my prayer, for it is not from the lips of the sea. Think about this in your case, in your situation, in my situation. We can cry out to God and he'll hear us. Psalm 59 too says that our sins separate us from God. If we're trying and we're repentant, and we're availing ourselves of that atonement, that propitiation, the blood of Christ, then we're seen in good stead. And we're not deceitful. We're sincere. Let my judgment come forth from your presence. Let your eyes behold the things that are upright. You have tried my heart. You have visited me in the night. You have tested me. And you shall find nothing. Now, isn't that wonderful to be able to say? In Romans 8, 1, it says there's no condemnation in those that believe in God and avail themselves of that process and are repentant. That have come into covenant with God. There's no condemnation. So, you've tested me and you're not going to find anything. I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. Concerning the works of men, by the words of your lips, I have kept myself from the paths of violence. So, he's trying to walk straight, walk the straight path. My steps have held fast to your path. My feet have not slipped. I have called upon you, for you will answer me, O God. Incline your ear to me in my speech. Then he asks this of God. In verse 7, show your marvelous kindness, Savior, of those seeking refuge in you at that table. By your right hand, by your power and your strength, save them from those who rise up against them. You know, those enemies that are around about. Keep me as the apple of your eye. Hide me under the shadow of your wings. From the face of the wicked who oppress me, my deadly enemies who encircle me. Now, look at the table and you're eating and you've got all around you, you've got these people that want to do you harm. David had a lot of that and we do too. From the face of the wicked who oppress me, my deadly enemies who encircle me. They have closed their pitiless hearts. No pity. With their mouth they speak proudly. They have surrounded us in our steps. They have set their eyes to cast us down to earth. They are like, and this is an interesting analogy, they are like a lion that longs to tear his prey. And like a young lion stalking in secret places. Now, what motivates them? What are they the children of? What spirit is influencing them? Even people in the church, even members in the church sometimes are not led by the Holy Spirit, but allow Satan to lead them, guide them in doing things and having jealousy and envy and bitterness and anger. Those are not from God. So when we let go of those things and allow those to happen in us, we're letting go of the Holy Spirit, we end up being led by Satan. By this lion that longs to tear his prey apart. And like young lions stalking in secret places. Arise, O Lord, confront him, bring him down, deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword. From men by your hand, O Lord, from men of the world whose portion is in this life and whose belly you fill with your treasure. And then he says, as for me, I will behold your face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied when I awake with your likeness. Again, David knew and understood the plan of God. He was going to be satisfied at the table. The enemies were not going to harm him. He put them in God's hands. He trusted in God. And then the result of that was an eternal blessing. I will be satisfied when I awake with your likeness. So finally, God is covering and showering him with eternal blessings. The greatest blessing we can have, Revelation 3, 5. And David understood this. He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments. Righteousness. And I will not erase his name from my book, from the book of life. And I will confess his name before my father and before his angels. Interesting. The crown of life, the crown of life, that is the eternal blessing that we have waiting for us if we endure and we stick with it. James 1, 12 talks about that. Blessed is the man who endures the trials. Because after he has been proven. He shall receive a crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him. That's a promise. The crown of life if, if we endure the trials and hang in there and stay with it. Revelation 2, 10 talks about, I think it's Smyrna. Do not fear any of these things that you are about to suffer. Now, this can be written about us as well. There's a lot more suffering coming down the road. So don't fear that. He says, behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison. That you may be tried. And you shall have tribulation 10 days. Be faithful unto death. And I will give you a crown of life. The one who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches. He's talking to us. The one who overcomes shall not be hurt of a second death. And see that, that environment that we're in and that on that table, in that table. Even though the enemies around us, we have eternal blessings that are there. As long as we feed from the bread of life, the food that God gives us. And walk in that righteous way of life. And avail ourselves of that comfort and that peace and that enjoyment at that table. So, the central theme of Psalm 1 is, I shall not want. We've seen this in the first few verses. Go through it again. Verse 2, he makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. Look at all the care, the personal care and comfort while we're on this. In these pasture lands, the world, and we walk in this way of life. This journey that he's given to us. This journey that he's given to us. He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his namesake. And we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. I'll fear no evil. You're with me. Your rod and staff comfort me. What a wonderful psalm this is. Psalm 23. Then in verse 5, the setting at the table in the presence of the enemy. Christ protecting us, caring for us, loving us. There's nothing that we can want in that situation. He's going to care for us all the time. Take care of us always. As long as we stay close to him. And we mess up, we go and we repent and we change. We go back to him and ask for his help. Is the blood that he shed for our behalf for the remission of sins. Philippians 4, 19 says, but my God will supply all your needs according to the riches in glory by Christ Jesus. And then he talks in on the Sermon of the Mount. Matthew 6. He says, verse 8, he says, then now, then do not be like them. He's talking about the evil ones. For your father knows what things you have need before you ask. And 31, 32 says, don't worry about things. God knows all your needs. Don't be anxious and worried and fearful. Don't be anxious about tomorrow. Do not be anxious about your life as to what you shall eat or what you shall drink. As long as you're at that table that's been set for us. You won't have to worry about it. He says that, nor about your body as to what you shall wear. Is not life more than food? Life, eternal life. Isn't that more than food? And the food that we eat, again, is that bread of life. Christ. The words that he gives us. That we live by. And the body is more than clothing. But who among you, by taking careful thought, is able to add one cubit to your stature? Not able to do that. Without God, we're nothing. So don't be anxious, he says. What shall we eat? Or what shall we drink? What shall we be clothed with? The nations seek after these things. The world seeks after those things. They're competitive. It's a dogfight. And your Heavenly Father knows what you have need of, that you need all these things. But as for you, here's what we do. Here's what he wants us to do. Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness. And all these things shall be added to you. Therefore, do not take, do not be anxious about tomorrow. For tomorrow shall take care of the things of itself. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof. Sit at the table. Don't worry about it. Enjoy. Because you have a special invitation to be there. And a special calling. Which we heard last night is that of the firstfruits. It's an amazing calling that we have. Christ is our Good Shepherd. He takes care of us. What a wonderful analogy that is. And when Christ, the Chief Shepherd, Peter calls him the Chief Shepherd, is manifested. You shall receive an unfading, eternal crown of glory. Stay at that table. Don't ask to be excused. Stay right there. Our eternal blessings from the Shepherd and the Father in Heaven. That's what those are. We have a Chief Shepherd that takes care of us as our back. And in the presence of our enemies, He set a table for us and wants us to come and eat the bread of life. That's encouraging. There's nothing more encouraging than really being able to focus on that in good and bad times, even in the presence of those that would hurt us. In and out of the church. I know that may sound surprising to some of you. But at all times, not everybody in the church is being led by the Spirit. Sometimes we get off. And at those times, there's problems. And we talk about that later. I'll talk about that later. Trusting God to be there and that we are in His presence always puts us at peace. And he said in John 4, was it 14, 27, I think, says, My peace I leave with you. My peace I leave with you. Right after he gives the comforter, he says the comforter will come. My peace I leave with you. Not like the world. It's a different peace. This is real peace. Casting all your cares upon Him because He cares for you. First Peter 5, 7. Again, David had a lot of adversaries. And seated at the table, they posed no threat to David. Why? Because he and we have guest rights to that table. And it's called family. It's called family rights. We have family rights with God the Father and Jesus Christ. Romans 8, 14. We know these scriptures for 8, 14 through 16, where children of God and hit inheritors with God and with Christ. And with Christ. He says, because if you are living according to the flesh, you shall die. But if by the Spirit, you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit, these are the sons of God. Now you have not received the spirit of bondage again into fear. You receive the spirit of sonship. That's what gives us that invitation to the table. Whereby we call out Abba, Father. The Spirit itself bears witness conjointly with our own spirit, testifying that we are the children of God. And look at this, the spiritual blessing here. Now, if we are children, we are also heirs. Truly heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. We're right there with Christ at that table. We're family. If indeed we suffer together with him, that's going to happen. So that we may also be glorified with him. He learned obedience through his suffering. That's what God wants us to learn as well. To be like Christ. He's our example. It gives us guest rights, first seat at the table, right? With God, the Father, and Jesus Christ. We're the sons of God in 1 John 3, 2. The glorious love the Father has given to us. That we should be called the children of God. Beloved, now we are the children of God. It's not yet been revealed what we shall be. But we know that when he is manifested, we shall be like him. Because we will see him exactly as he is. And as long as that seat of begettal is dwelling in us. And we're not practicing sin. Now in the Middle East, the custom was that if you were the host. And you had a guest. You were obligated to safeguard that visitor from all enemies. No matter what the cost. If he was in your house, that was your responsibility. So David's thinking about that when he writes this. But he's also thinking about the sheep. And we'll talk about that in a minute. Just a few things. And I won't go through all the customs. But regarding guests and host responsibility. The house guest. As a house guest, we are preparing to serve and dine with the host at the house. Okay. So we go in. He's going to offer a meal. He's going to offer us water. He's going to give us a greeting. He bows down. There are several things that they do. We won't go through all of them. But the host would sit the guest down. And then prepare the food. And set it at the table. Making it ready, the food ready for dinner. Okay. The host was considered to be a servant. And the guest was the Lord. In other words, that house was yours. And they would say that. Lot spoke of himself with a guest when they came in. Remember in Genesis 19, he said, behold now, my Lord. Turn in, I pray unto you. Into your servant's house. He saw himself as the servant. And what was Christ? Christ was the servant. He came to serve. Not to be served. And what are we to be? As Christ like. We're to be servants as well. The mentality. And you have a guest. Love your neighbor. Bring them in. He was given a drink of water. One of the first things done for a guest who had been received. Is to offer him a drink of water. Look at the analogy of water. The woman at the well. He told her, this water. If you knew what this water was, it's eternal life. She said, how do I, where do I get that water? He was offering her eternal life. And she was giving him a drink of water. And doing this is recognizing him as being worthy. Of that reception. He laid Eliezer, Abraham's servant. When he went with the camel, saw a welcome at the well. He did so by requesting from the maiden who came to the well. To draw water. She said. He said, let me, I pray you. Drink a little water from your pitcher. And then she answered him and said. Drink my Lord. It wasn't, this was an indication that it was what she was welcoming him. To be a guest at her house. All that attached to that drink of water. But that was a custom. What was one of the things that the shepherd does with the sheep. Provides refreshing water. Clear water. To the, to the sheep. And Mark 941, Christ says, whoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name. Because you belong to Christ. Verily, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward. In the lands of the East, when a host accepts a man. To be his guest. He there, he agrees that whatever the cost. He will defend him from the enemies, whatever they may be. Okay, now the second part of this. Being set at the table, it's the outdoor setting. In the pasture land. There were table lands, they call them. Or plateaus within the hills. You go up. A lot of time, you go out to Colorado, it's like this. You go up in the Rockies and then there's this plateau. A long green area. This was the table land. The shepherd set a table. In the presence of his enemies. So, there were dangers. And obstructions on this table land. That he had to, that the shepherd had to go and check out and take care of. To be sure that the area was cleared for the sheep. So, they wouldn't be harmed. From time to time, he'd go through the area that he was going to be leading the sheep. And he would clear out the areas. Examine the grass, the surrounding area. And find a good and safe feeding place for the sheep. So, they would be protected. They'd have good food and they'd be protected from the enemies. And it took all of his skill and his courage. Because there were predators out in the area. And he had to be on guard at all times. Remember in 1 Samuel 17, it says. David said to Saul. Your servant was tending this father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a sheep from the flock. Went after it and I attacked it and I rescued the sheep from its mouth. And when it rose up against me, I grabbed it by its mane and I struck it and killed it. So, there were predators that had to be cleared out. David was well aware of that. Around the feeding grounds in the high hills at these table lands. They lived in caves and different, in the rocks and in the bushes. There were wolves, there were bears, there were panthers. So, it took courage from the shepherd to go out and clear this out. There were also snakes. There were snakes in the, snakes in the holes of moles and gophers and in the grass. And the shepherd would clear them out. He would run them out. Eat them out of the grass and run them out. So, they wouldn't bite the sheep. The table lands were high in the hills. And they were the, those were the summer ranges for the sheep. Now, all plants were good. So, they had to be cleared out. The good grass and the bad plants had to be identified. Some of them were, I was surprised at acorns, azalea, milkweed. You'd think those wouldn't be harmful. But if the sheep ate those, it would harm them. Mountain laurel and red maple leaves also were not good. Areas that didn't have any grass were silty. Areas that didn't have any grass were seeded. Poisonous plants were removed. Any obstructions, rocks, sticks, brush, trees, weeds uprooted. Everything was prepared. That table was prepared for the sheep and then the sheep were brought in. So, he was speaking from personal experience of clearing that area, the hazards and the obstructions and the predators. He prepared the table land of this father for his father's sheep. God does the same thing for us. As we walk and we are his sheep and we walk through this life, there are times that he wants us to rest and sit down and sit down at the table. In general, we're in that setting through life. He clears it of danger. Now, where is that table land for us? It's the world, isn't it? John 17, Christ said, I've given them your words and the world has hated them because they are not of the world just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that you would take them out of the world, but that rather that you would keep them from the evil one, this setting, the table land, and keep the enemies away. That's what he does for us. Christ says that, said that in John 17, the prayer that he gave. In John 14, 30, he says, I will not speak with you much longer because the ruler of this world is coming, that he does not have a single thing in me and he doesn't have anything in us if we're in Christ. So, even though they're around, they're not going to harm us if we stay close to God. He says, yet he comes so that the world may know that I love the Father and that I do exactly as the Father has commanded me. And he says, arise and let us go. That was right before he went in John 15 and talking about the vine, headed toward the last moments of his life. So, Satan is one of those predators, right? He is depicted as a roaring lion in 1 Peter 5, 8, waiting to devour his prey. He says, casting all your cares upon him because he cares for you, be sober, be vigilant. So, we have a part. Your adversary, the devil, is prowling about as a roaring lion, seeking anyone he may devour, anyone that gets up away from that table. Our good shepherd is able to shut the mouth of Satan so that he doesn't harm us. A good example that I thought about, Daniel 6. It's 6 when the king arose. Daniel got thrown into the lion's den by chicanery, and it wasn't his fault. He hadn't done anything wrong, but those that were trying to set a trap for him got him, and the king had to throw him into the lion's den. So, the king arose early in the morning. He was worried about Daniel because he liked Daniel, and he hurried to the lion's den. And when he came near the den, he cried with a grievous voice to Daniel, and the king spoke and said, Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is your God whom you serve continually able to deliver you from the lions? Daniel said to the king, O king, live forever. My God has sent his angel and has shut the mouth of the lions, and they have not hurt me, because before him innocence was found in me. And also before you, O king, I have done no harm. He's able to do that. There's another thing that he did. He sent his angels to him. And this is an interesting, this is a sidebar, but this is interesting. Because in Hebrews 1, 13, I don't know how many times this has happened to us. Maybe you've seen your angel. I have several times. The God uses them and assigns them to us, and we'll look at a couple scriptures that says that, to help us when it comes time to be protected and to be watched after and cared for. They're in addition to Christ. Hebrews 1, 13 says, but unto which of the angels did he ever say, sit at my right hand until I make our enemies a footstool for your feet? Are they not all ministering spirits, being sent forth to minister to those who are about to inherit salvation, as we saw earlier, inheritors? That's us. Angels are sent to be ministering spirits for us. And God sends them. And then in Matthew 8, 10, talking about the blessing of the little children, take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angel, that their angel in heaven continually looks upon the face of my Father who is in heaven. So in addition to our good shepherd protecting us and caring for us, he sends us an angel. He says, our angel, from God to protect us and keep us from injury, from dangers and obstacles that we encounter. So he's got us, doesn't he? He protects us. He watches over us. That setting that we are in is at the table, is we're not going to be harmed if we stay in God and stay at the table and stay with him and love him. God will protect us. He doesn't want any to perish. Psalm 34 says, I sought the Lord and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to him and were radiant and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried and the Lord heard and saved him out of all of his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him that stays at the table. Oh, fear the Lord, all you saints, for there is nothing lacking for those who fear him. And that fear is reverence and awe and love. Loving God. He loved us first. We love him back. Then 10 says, the young lions do lack. They don't have food. They're not going to get the food they want. That's us. They suffer hunger. But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing. Psalm 121 says, I live now. All these come from David, right? And I will lift my eyes to the hills. From where am I? Does my help come? My help comes from the Lord who has made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved. He who keeps you will not slumber. Remember what Satan said about at the pinnacle? He said, cast yourself down. The angels will stop you and won't let you be hurt. Behold, he keeps Israel neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper. The Lord is your shade. The shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from all evil. He shall preserve your life. The Lord shall guard your going out and your coming in from this time forward and evermore. So in this life as we live it, we're walking and feeding and living this life in the tablelands, sitting at his table in the presence of our enemies. The Good Shepherd has prepared a resting area for the sheep. And Christ assures us that. Again, peace. My peace I leave with you. He says. We can have peace knowing that God has prepared our lives around him, in him and with him. And we're in his care. Understanding this really is, you know, it's interesting because the word prepare has the connotation, has the meaning of setting something in place, setting it in array to furnish. And it has the connotation of a battle scene. The battle is set. And David talks about this, he uses the same word in preparing for battle. But prepare a table has the connotation of a battle scene. The enemy is all around us. The table is prepared in the midst of our enemies. In Satan's world, he's the god of this world and he's the prince of the power of the air. But in him, we have a hiding place. We have a rest. We have a fortress. We have protection. In Psalm 32, 7, he says, you are my hiding place. The high tower, the fortress, the place to watch the battle from a safe place. You shall preserve me from trouble. You have encircled me with songs of deliverance. Isn't that awesome? Isn't that comforting? Okay. We also have to watch out that Satan, the predator, we have to watch out for ourselves. We can be our worst enemy sometimes. We fall back into getting away from the table, back into the world. And we're not supposed to do that. Our carnal nature, we have that sin within that drags us back. But we're to guard the door of our mind. First Corinthians 10 says, although we walk in the flesh, we do not war against the flesh. We have to be on guard and know who our enemy is. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the overthrowing of strongholds, casting down vain imaginations. There we are. Get them out. Guard the door of the mind. Every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, pride, vanity, arrogance. I'm better than you. And I need to be served. All the self that's in us, get rid of that to the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought unto the obedience of Christ. Every thought. My thoughts are not your thoughts. They're higher than your thoughts, he says. I am having a readiness to avenge all disobedience. Whenever you disobey, your obedience has been fulfilled. Are you looking at things according to their appearance? If anyone is persuaded in his own mind that he is Christ, let him reconsider this concerning himself for exactly as he is Christ. So also are we Christ. So those enemies can be ourselves. And sometimes they can be one another. They can be those within the church, not necessarily those outside the church. They're going to persecute us. We're going to know where that comes from. But isn't it hurtful when it's somebody within the church and we don't think, boy, that blindsides us, doesn't it? Galatians 5 talks about the works of the flesh and the works of the spirit, the fruits of the flesh and the fruits of the spirit. But he also says in verse 9, a little leaven leavens the whole womb. Then he says in 13, serve one another with love. For the whole law is fulfilled in this commandment. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. But that doesn't always happen, does it? 15 says, but if you bite and devour one another, watch out, lest you be consumed by one another. Now, this I say, this is how we stop that. Walk in the spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Then he goes through that. For the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh. And these things are opposed to each other so that you cannot do the things you wish to do. Okay, there's this fight. He says in Romans 7, there's this fight. You're constantly pulled away. And when others aren't being led and we have a problem, their problem and they, we have problems with one another. We're not supposed to do that. But if you are led by the spirit, you are not under the works of the law. He's talking about those traditions and then he goes into what they are. We won't read through that. Then he talks about the fruits of the spirit, love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control. Against such there is no law. But those who are in Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. If we live by the flesh, we should also be walking by the spirit. We should not be vainglorious, provoking one another and envying one another. Those can be predators or dangers or obstacles as well in our way. We stay at the table. We love God and we put the self out. We put out the flesh. We put out carnality at that table. Sometimes the enemy is less obvious. In Corinthians 3 verse 2 it says, And that we may be delivered from perverse and wicked men, for all are not of the faith. Now, you know, that's a shock to some people. Perverse and wicked men are not all of the faith. But the Lord is faithful who will establish you and keep you from the evil one. Now, you have a job to do in that as well. Now, concerning you, we trust in the Lord that you both practice and will be practicing the things that we command you. You're sitting at the table. Obviously, you're going to be doing that, right? That's what they expect, what God and Christ expect. And may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the endurance of Christ. That's a big verse. That's a big statement. We're going through the love of God right now through the love series in Bible study. Big subject. Now, we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, this is a command. This is important. If you know somebody isn't walking with Christ, you know somebody has a different doctrine. Even though they're sweet and nice people and you just like them so much. I command you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that you withdraw from every brother, not from people in the world, every brother who is walking irresponsibly. At that time, they're walking irresponsibly. They may be a brother. They may have God's Holy Spirit. At the time, they're not being led by it. And not according to the ordinance that he has received from us. That's a command. To keep us at the table. To make sure we're protected from our enemies. At that moment, they're our enemies. They're not walking with Christ. They're not walking with God. God is the one. Christ is our workmanship. He's the workman. We're his workmanship. Ephesians 2 verse 4 says, But God, who is rich in mercy because of his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, has made us alive again together with Christ. He has raised us up together and has caused us to sit together in the heavenly places in Jesus Christ. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And especially, it is not your own. It is the gift of God. Not of your own works that you don't boast. And verse 10 says, For we are his workmanship, being created in Jesus Christ unto good works, that God ordained, set up arrayed beforehand in order that we might walk in them. We're fellow citizens with the saints of the household of God. We have that invitation at the house, at the household of God to come to the table. Right? We're built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone in whom all the building being conjointly fitted together is increasing into the holy temple in the Lord. In whom you also are being built together for a habitation of God in the spirit. And yes, it's that Holy Spirit, doesn't it? To help us to stay at the table, to help us to grow and to overcome and to change. And sometimes we fail in that and we have to be put back on track. And we need one another to do that. And God will give us that. And the Holy Spirit tricks our conscience and keeps us on track if we listen to it. And we know that the one in us is greater than the world. He says in 1 John 4, he tells us to test the spirits. Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirit, whether they are from God. Because many false prophets have gone out into the world. We have occasion where people bring in doctrines that are not on track. You call them false doctrines. But they're not quite, they may not be a lot often. They might sound right, but they're awful little. Okay, we have to discern from that. What is the truth? By this test, you can know the spirit of God. Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God. And some of these things are direct, they deny Christ. They go against that. Every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not from God. The spirit of Antichrist. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them because greater is he who is in you than the one that is in the world. But we have to remember that God, as he did with Job, God put a hedge around Job. He does that with us as well. He hedged around him. Satan said, well, take that hedge down and I can get to him. So God let him do that for a while. Sometimes God lets Satan have his way with us for a purpose to help us to grow and overcome and to be tested and to stay strong. After the fact, sometimes in the trial, we're not doing real well. If we're in covenant with God and reverently and repentantly following him, he may allow certain things to come, certain trials to come, but they're for our benefit. He controls the events. He has our best interest in mind, and we'll be able to enjoy the table that has set the force in the presence of our enemies much better at the end of it. All things work for the good of those who believe in God. Psalm 9, verse 9 says, the Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. We can go to him in times of trouble. When these things happen, we know he's there. And those who know your name will put their trust in you. For you, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you. Sing praises to the Lord. For he who avenges blood remembers them. He forgets not the cry of the humble. Have mercy upon us, O Lord. Consider my trouble which I suffer from those who hate me, you who lift me up against the gates of death, so that I may declare all your praise in the gates of the daughters of Zion. I will rejoice in your salvation. Revelation 3, verse 5, he helps us overcome with the Holy Spirit. He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments and will not erase his name from the book of life. I will confess his name before my father and before the angels. When we're seated at his table, we don't have to fear. Maybe a couple of things have happened, but we're still at the table. We're still under his care as the shepherd. It says, Romans 8, verse 35. I love this section. We need to remember this always as we walk this way and sit at that table land and that plateau with the shepherd and the other sheep. Verse 8, Romans 8, verse 35. What shall separate us from the love of God? Love of Christ. Nothing. Nothing's going to separate us from that. We might. It might be us that does it. We have to be on guard. He says, shall tribulation, shall distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, or sword. According, it is written. For your sake, we are killed all the day long. We are reckoned as sheep for this water. Verse 37. But in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. We went out. We win if we hang in there. Christ will make sure that we make it. We just have to do our part. We are more than conquerors through him who loves us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, or principalities, or powers, or things present, or things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. So David said, you prepare a place for me, a table for me in the presence of my enemies. A close relationship with God, the honored guest at the table, the called sons of God, children of God, sitting at that table with a capable host, a gracious host who attends to our needs and showers us with personal care, abundant goodness, protection from the enemy, and eternal blessings. What a wonderful picture. And David had many adversaries. We do too, and we will have. But in the presence of the Lord, seated at his table, they pose no threat because we have guest rights. We have family rights. We are the sons of God. He loves us. And he personally cares for us. What a wonderful thought. What a wonderful psalm. So we're going to stop there. I have probably one more in the series to finish up. I want to read this. We read this sometimes. We'll stop with one more here. I want to read this one, and then we'll end. We read this a lot at the end of messages, but it's a focus that we have at the end of our lives, eternally, where we're going to live, where we're going to be, what we're going to do, and that relationship we'll have with God the Father and Jesus Christ. Revelation 21-2, he says, And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. I heard a great voice from heaven say, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his people. And God himself shall be with them and be their God. He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or sorrow or crying. Neither shall there be any more pain, because the former things have passed away. And he who sits on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. Then he said to me, Write, for these words are true and faithful. And he said to me, It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. The one who thirsts I will give freely of the fountain of water of life. The one who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he will be my son. So we'll end with that, and we'll see you the next time.
