A teaching by Rev. Barbara Williams, President of the Ministry of the Watchman International
Week of August 7-11, 2023
MONDAY
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
Psalm 23:1-2
Because the Lord leads me I have no lack or want. I am fulfilled. The leading of the Lord brings fulfillment. Does it seem that your life is lacking in any way?
I think we all experience this from time to time. We wonder when are we going to receive the answer to our prayers. We wonder when God is going to do a certain thing for us. We wonder. God never leads us to wonder.
He leads us to provision and refreshment. He waters our thirsty souls. He makes it easy for us to be refreshed. We have peace and our wondering ceases. Take on His peace like a garment. Trust that as you ask Him to lead you to peace He will.
If you are in need of healing, there is good news! Proverbs 4:20-22 SAYS:
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
So there is life and health in God’s word. Since God’s word is medicine, we must take it like we would a prescription. I suggest three times a day, like you would your food. Remember, healing is the children’s bread. Consider this your “dose” for today. Remember, read, and meditate three times a day the following:
Rx: Deuteronomy 7:15 ~ The Lord will take away from you all sickness, and none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which you knew, will he inflict on you…
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
2 Timothy 2:15
If you’ve never studied the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, we invite you to join us as we read through the Bible in a year. Read and meditate on these chapters this week:
August 7: Judges 21, Acts 25, Jeremiah 35, Psalms 7-8
August 8: Ruth 1, Acts 26, Jeremiah 36 & 45, Psalms 9
August 9: Ruth 2, Acts 27, Jeremiah 37, Psalms 10
August 10: Ruth 3-4, Acts 28, Jeremiah 38, Psalms 11-12
August 11: 1 Samuel 1, Romans 1, Jeremiah 39, Psalms 13-14
August 12: 1 Samuel 2, Romans 2, Jeremiah 40, Psalms 15-16
August 13: 1 Samuel 3, Romans 3, Jeremiah 41, Psalms 17
TUESDAY
He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Psalm 23:3
Does your soul need to be restored? Of course it does. You are just like every other soul who has ever been born. You need God’s guidance so that your thoughts will be productive, decisive and peaceful.
Decision making can be hard. We want to do the right thing and we want to please God. We also want to make sure that what we do will bring success. We want to end confusion, doubt and the wandering mind.
I know that God has the answer, but how will it come to me? Can I trust that I am doing all that I can to ensure my success? The confusion that may set in can disturb one’s soul. That is why it is so good to know that He restores our souls.
Ask Him to lead you to that place of restoration. He has the right decision for you and He will provide it.
WEDNESDAY
He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Psalm 23:3
God leads in righteousness. He will always cause us to do the right thing. Do you fear that the decision you are making is not the right one? Know that what is righteous is always right. Sometimes it may appear as though you are making the biggest mistake in the world and taking the greatest risk, but just keep trusting the leading of the Lord.
When He moves on you to take that step, then take it. He will always cause you to do that which is right and good. Know that His ways are perfect and you can know the leading is of Him when the path is righteous, good, holy and just.
THURSDAY
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4
He leads in comfort. In difficult times, the way may appear darkened. Only you can know how hard it is to trust that God is leading you through troubled times and situations. His ways are perfect even in the hard places.
There is light and life in God’s leading. He can lead with the rod of comfort… you can lean on His staff of strength. In times of loss or deep regret there is a comfort and a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
The Lord Jesus is that friend. The Great Shepherd and Bishop of our souls want us to lean on Him. We take on His strength in troubled times if we will hold on to His unchanging hand. It’s always there to comfort and guide us. We emerge the stronger for it. We are more than conquerors through Him who loves us.
FRIDAY
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
Psalm 23:5-6
He leads in abundance. You have an overflow in your life because the God who is more than enough is leading you to just what His name says He is. He is more than enough in every situation.
Is there something missing in your life? Is there never enough for giving, bills and necessities? Somehow luxuries may be out of the question. Perhaps you missed the leading of El Shaddai, the many breasted one. He is the one who provides all to us.
Maybe you haven’t trusted that He leads in abundance, brings abundance and leaves abundance wherever He goes. Perhaps you have not really known the abundance of God because you leave His leading from time to time. Perhaps you have not remained in His leading long enough to make full recovery of all the provision He has provided.
Can you trust His leading once more? Meditate on this fact, “Because He leads me I want for nothing.”