Eleutheria Ministries: Truths From God's Word

Today we will continue our study on intimacy with God by continuing our journey through Psalm 23.  Psalm 23:2a, He makes me lie down in green pastures.  Sheep are basically timid animals who tend to graze in flocks and are almost totally lacking in protection from predators.i  The shepherd must make sure the sheep lie down after eating. After eating, the sheep needs to rest. She lays down and while resting, chews her cud and digests, as the sheep is a ruminant. Sometimes she won’t lie down on her own. She needs to be made to lie down.ii The shepherd makes them lie down by providing the condition in which the sheep feel comfortable enough to lie down.  Sheep will only lie down when: they are free from fear, free from friction, free from tormenting parasites, and free from hunger. First, free from fear.  2 Timothy 1:7 says, For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (NLT) When we feel fear, we must remember tha...

Today we will continue our study on intimacy with God.  As we learn more about Christ, our Good Shepherd, and how he cares for us we will develop a deeper desire to know him more.  Intimacy is birthed out of that desire to know and be known. In Psalm 23 David describes our Good Shepherd. Over the next few lessons, we will look at how our Good Shepherd cares for us.  We will also look at three things we must do to stay in intimacy with our Good Shepherd.  To begin, Psalm 23:1 lays the foundation for the rest of the Psalm by stating right up front that with the Lord as our shepherd we shall not want.   The ESV Global Study Bible footnotes on Psalm 23:1 states, want means to lack what one needs.  Here David, who spent the beginning years of his life in the pastures with his father’s flock and in later years spent time hiding out in caves for fear of being found and killed by King Saul, states from his own first-hand knowledge that with the Lord as our shepherd...

As I have been communing with the Father in recent weeks, I have come to realize that the focus of my ministry is intimacy with God. I have been journaling our conversations for months and no matter what else we talk about it always comes back to intimacy.   On August 22, God spoke to me and told me to teach his people that an awakening cannot come to mankind until his bride is walking in holiness. Compromise is no longer an option! Making “excuses” for sin is not going to be tolerated! He is sending Holy Spirit fire to burn up the chaff. He is sending him to purify his bride and those who still choose to “play” church, those who still choose to go it alone and have their own way, are sitting ducks for the enemy.  He cannot bless or protect those who allow known sin in their life.  He cannot dwell where sin exists. Those who choose to ignore his word have walked from his presence and must repent and turn away from their rebellion and sin so he can draw them back into...

Our spiritual diet must be maintained so we can walk in intimacy with the Lord. We must also get spiritual exercise.  While I was talking with the Lord, he spoke to me about what our spiritual exercise must look like.   Our spiritual exercise is learning to walk in the yoke with Christ.  Staying in the yoke is a daily, lifelong exercise in submission and obedience.   When a farmer wants to train a new ox to walk in the yoke, he often places him in the yoke with an older more experienced ox.  When the older ox turns to the right or the left the younger one must turn also. Likewise, when the older ox stops the younger must stop.  The young ox receives many benefits from being yoked with the older ox.   First, being yoke to a more experience ox gives the young ox a sense of security. He doesn’t have to make the hard decisions he only has to follow the lead of the older ox.   Additionally, it allows the young ox to develop his stre...