It Starts Small

There’s so many things I learned this last year. Up to this point I’ve shared the biggest points. The journey to live in freedom and through God’s victory in my life. Along the way were so many ah-ha and wonderful moments.

I’ve struggled my entire life with satisfaction. I don’t want to be rich. I don’t want to have everything this world defines as satisfaction. I didn’t want to feel satisfied. I wanted to be satisfied. One of the greatest prayers David prayed, tells us not only how to be satisfied, but how to get right with God, deal with stress, smile at death, and how to make the rest of our lives the best life possible.

Today I just want to focus on satisfaction. Time and time again we read, nothing can satisfy us except the Lord. There’s nothing in this world that can fill us like the Lord can. All of the sinful desires we seek to fill loneliness, emptiness and providing will only temporarily fill the gaping holes in our heart. They’ll temporarily give us feel good emotions, but they will never fill us long term.

We all have deep hungers in our heart. The only thing that can fill those deep needs is the Lord.

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Psalm 23:1

Remember I said earlier, thou shalt not means don’t do these things. Thou shalt means enjoy it. The opening line of David’s prayer says don’t want. How do I live a life without wanting?

The Lord and my shepherd tell us part of our Heavenly Father’s amazing character. He is Lord God! The Great I AM. He’s my shepherd. He’s my personal care taker. God has taken on the role to being my provider, my protector, and my personal care taker.

Anytime we see LORD written in the Old Testament, this signified Jehovah. This was the Hebrews sacred name for God. It means the Great I AM. It means the one who made is the one who rules. In this opening line to this prayer we pray, acknowledge and trust in the deity (Jehovah) and Shepherding (Jesus) of our Heavenly Father.

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. John 10:11

Jesus says I am the good shepherd. We have a shepherd who “herds” us with sovereignty and compassion. We are led by the King of Kings and the good Shepherd.

This tells us we have a God that is able and a shepherd who is available . A God in heaven and a shepherd n my heart. Jesus is described as the good shepherd. He came and sacrificed himself for his sheep. He gave his life for his sheep that they may have eternal life. But then he is renamed the Great Shepherd.

20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20-21

We await for the Chief Shepherd to come!

And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 1 Peter 5:4

A little Bible knowledge to share:

Psalms 22: describes the crucifixion of Christ – Good Shepherd

Psalms 23: describes our Great Shepherd

Psalms 24: describes the Chief Shepherd

So what do we have to learn from this? The key to our satisfaction is in God and Jesus. The Lord is MY Shepherd! I do not need to want for anything because he is my everything. He gives me all I need and all my deepest needs are filled through him. I want for nothing because those needs are met.

When those deepest needs in us are not filled by God, this is where we get ourselves and our lives into great trouble. We fill loneliness by selfishly seeking comfort and pleasure from others, while ignoring their needs. We seek to fill the emptiness by working dead end jobs and seeking self gratification and puffing up of our pride by stepping on whomever we need to and using, manipulating and deceiving others to fulfill the notion we have purpose and are someone. We seek praise and worship of others to fill the need o be recognized and worthy.

We don’t need any of this! When you are right with God, and have truly turned away from the world and have thrown your death clothes into the grave, you heart is filled to its fullest. You no longer need to seek relief from loneliness. You no longer need relief from emptiness. You no longer have to fear tomorrow or your needs because they’re taken care of.

Through spending time with Jesus we learn that God is:

Abba

And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Galatians 4:6

Abba means daddy. Most of us would find it hard to call the Great I Am daddy. When we pray Heavenly Father, we are praying to our perfect Dad in heaven. God is the perfect parent. Our earthly parents have failed us in some way, shape or form, but God is perfect. God is not going to neglect us, abuse us, or forget us. We can’t look upon him with reflection of our own parents.

Adonai

Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine. Ezekiel 16:8

When we recognize God as Adonai, we acknowledge His leadership and ownership as Lord, Master, and Ruler. This is where we develop a great reverence (fear of the Lord) as we approach him. We can recognize His loving ownership over our lives. He brings us through difficulties, protects us, and even corrects us because He is a loving Master, Ruler, and Lord.

Alpha and Omega

If Jesus spoke to us in English he would say I am the A to Z. Alpha is the beginning of the Hebrew alphabet and Omega the last letter of their alphabet. Jesus was in the beginning (creation) and is God’s final word for all eternity.

Attiyq Youm

Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Isaiah 46:9-10

Only God knows the future. We can trust that in everything he is constantly working all weapons of the enemy for our goodness. He knows yesterday, today and tomorrow.

El Chuwl

But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. 2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 3 For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: Isaiah 43:1-3b

God says, I made you, I saved you, I’m going to take care of you.

Jehovah Jireh

From Genesis 22, God is our substitutionary sacrifice.

Jehovah M’kaddesh

7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the Lord your God. 8 And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the Lord which sanctify you. Leviticus 20:7-8

This name describes Who God is: Holy. It also describes what God does: makes us holy. God is faithful in making us holy.

Jehovah Nissi

God is a reigning banner over us ALL the time. God goes before us and behind us to give us victory in all circumstances. Even in the midst of battle, his banner is raised over us. Victory is the Lord’s!

Jehovah Rapha

Jesus is our healer. Not only does he physically heal our bodies, he heals our afflictions in our mind. Jesus came to make us whole, not to be just a healer. He heals us by restoring us to our Heavenly Father and to make us whole!

Jehovah Rohi

God is our shepherd. Just as a shepherd keeps watch over a flock of sheep, he keeps watch over us.

Jehovah Shalom

Shalom means peace. The Lord greeted Gideon in peace so he made an alter and named it Lord of Peace (Judges 6:23-24) our contentment and peace comes from our Great Shepherd leading us. Only in Jesus can we find security, sufficiency and serenity.

Jehovah Tsuri

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Psalm 18:2

God is our rock. He is permanent, faithful and protective. He is the firm foundation to our lives. He is our hiding place when we are in trouble. He is our shelter in the storm.

This is but a small list of all the names of God that reveal his character. Every single part of God is holy and perfect. He never fails. He’s never lost a battle. He’s never forsaken those he knows, and he’s never neglected to provide or care for us.

Is the Lord your Shepherd? Is the Shepherd your Lord?

But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: John 10:26-27

A personal relationship is a permanent relationship. Do you hear your shepherd speak to you? Are you content? Are you satisfied in the deepest needs of your heart?

Recently my boss asked me what I wanted from life. It was an odd question because I didn’t have an answer. Most people immediately have this laundry list of all these desires and wants. I stood there thinking about it and asked if I could get back to him.

Walking away and all I could think is, I just want what God desires. I just want to walk in his ways, and to fulfill his purpose for my life. I want what he desires. Every morning as I put on all of Jesus I do the pride check. Is there something I want more than His will for my life? Am I satisfied and Content?