Effie Darlene Barba

Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me (Psalm 23:3).  But what is the Rod of God?  Most of my life I have heard preachers speak of the rod of God being His disciplining hand.  However, to understand what David means, we must consider how the shepherd uses his rod.  Only then can we know the comfort that the rod of God brings.  For the shepherd, his tools in the days of David were the rod and the staff.

I learned a lot reading Philip Keller’s A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23.  He spoke of watching the children in Africa who were learning to be a shepherd practicing daily their skills at accurately throwing their rod.  For you see, the rod had three major purposes.  First to turn a wayward wandering sheep away from danger.  Secondly, the rod is used to carefully exam the sheep.  And finally, it is used to destroy a predator that desires to harm the sheep. The rod was never used to beat the sheep into submission.  Rather, if the shepherd saw a sheep heading in a dangerous direction, he would hurl the rod through the air.  Precisely the rod would land beside the sheep and cause him to turn to the right or left away from danger.

Also, the rod was used to carefully look beneath the wool, inspecting the sheep for blemishes and imperfections.  Therein, he could ever so gently treat the blemishes and heal the wounds.

Also, with the rod, he would destroy the venomous snakes or other predators before they could harm the sheep.  The Shepherd’s rod was his instrument to protect his sheep from harm, whether that be from the sheep’s own foolish self-will or from the predators desiring their demise.

So, what is the Rod of God?

Continue reading “What is the Rod of God that Comforts Me?”

When reading Psalm 23, it begins with praise for the Shepherd. Suddenly, there is a turn and now the Psalm becomes very intimate.  “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me” (Psalm 23:3).  Shepherds move their flocks during the winter months to the lush green pastures on the mountaintop.  The Shepherd has gone before them to find the best pastures.  He walked the treacherous path and knows the dangers that they will face, for He has already faced them before.  The journey may lead them on paths that are narrowed.  Shadows of death and destruction may surround them along this journey. However, it is through the treacherous, darkest valleys they must walk to find the best nourishment of their soul.

Along this journey, they learn to trust the Shepherd.  Their most intimate walk with Him is through the darkest Valleys. David knew this well.  Saul, enraged by David’s popularity and intimate walk with God, set out to kill and destroy him.  Yet, David ran through the darkest valleys into the mountains to escape Saul.  David already knew the dangerous, darkest valleys; because, as a Shepherd, he had walked them before.  It was God who had called him to become the next King and he would have to trust God to lead him through the darkest valleys where the “shadows of death” surrounded him.  There in the darkest valleys, his song turned to an intimate conversation with God.  Suddenly, his praise turned to a talk with God.

Facing the Darkest Valleys

Continue reading “How to Be Fearless When in The Darkest Valleys”

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6).  “Sheep are notorious creatures of habit.  If let to themselves the will follow the same trails until they become ruts; graze the same hills until they turn to desert wastes; pollute their own ground until it is corrupt with disease and parasites.”[1]  How much like sheep we humans truly are!  We follow the crowd, even to our own demise; stubbornly determined to do our will.  Believing we know what is best, our selfish, self-exalting nature determinately destroy the pastures we have so graciously been given. Yet, He leads us.

“He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3).  A good shepherd watches his flock with diligent care.  He knows the pitfalls. Also, he knows their natural tendency to stay put until the pasture is destroyed beyond repair, covered with parasites and deep ruts from the sheep continuously walking the same path that they created.  Even then they remain feeding on the infested land until even the roots are destroyed.  “The greatest safeguard that the shepherd has in handling his flock is to keep them on the move.  That is to say, they dare not be left on the same ground too long.”[2]

God knows that when left to our own, we would perish.  He leads us forward in paths of righteousness, lest we become complacent and flounder where we are. There may be valleys or rugged hills to cross, getting to the new pasture; but, He is leading us every step of the way.

He Leads

God has not left us alone.  He has provided the Holy Spirit to comfort and guide us along this journey.  Furthermore, He will not leave us where He has found us.  “For whom He did foreknow, He did also predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29).

He takes it upon Himself to complete the work He began in us. Patiently, He sifts away the chaff, chips away the hardness of our heart, and transforms us from the inside out.  To do so, He must be constantly leading us forward.  Growing steadily in the knowledge of Him as He leads us in the paths of righteousness.

  Ephesians 1:3-12

            Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace. Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence. Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself. That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

For His Name’s Sake

            God has put His own name on the line.  “For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself” (Hebrews 6:13).  He provided all that we needed for our redemption and He will accomplish all that He has planned in our sanctification as well.  We cannot, of our own accord, become righteous.  Only He can complete the work of transforming us into the likeness of the Son.  Which may require that we follow Him through some very rugged paths on our way to new pastures.  Yet, we must not remain stagnant at any place too long; or we will wither in our faith and our testimony.

How to Follow

1. Trust the Shepherd.  Wherever He leads, He knows what is best for you.  He knows your fears, sorrows, and weaknesses.
2. Study His Word daily.
3. Spend time alone with Him each day.
4. Recognize that every rugged path is the shepherd leading you to new pasture; where you will grow in His Grace. Be thankful for that truth, when it appears you have nothing else to be grateful for.

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR?

If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. Because there is nothing more important than this, I urge you to seek Him today.

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©Effie Darlene Barba, 2018
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Footnotes and Credits:

[1] Phillip Keller, A Shepherd’s Look at Psalm 23, in The Inspirational Writings of Phillip Keller, (New York, NY: Inspirational Press, 1993), 58.

[2] Ibid.,59.

Photo by FOYN on Unsplash

Anyone following my website would know that this week, many things went wrong with my posts.  It has taken all week to get it at least partially fixed.  Still, I am uncertain how or why it all got changed around and turned upside down.  I noticed first that the cellphone version wasn’t working.  That I found out was due to the PHP needing to be upgraded (whatever a php is?).  Got that fixed with some help from the host.  Then, I the continue reading button seemed to have broken.  So, what do you do when it all falls apart? Are we to just quit and sit down in frustration?  Do we question God as to whether He is sending us in a different direction?  Or question if He is angry?  Searching our hearts for some answer.

Perhaps for some, something so simple as maintaining a website would seem such a unimportant triviality.  After all, I make no money from this website nor even my books for that matter.  All of it is at a cost.  Yet, every time over the years when I considered shutting it all down or believing that it is unimportant in the scheme of things; someone would reach out to me.  Some were encouraged and some even saved by God’s grace.  Not that God needs me or this website; however, He can use even my sometimes stammering words or imperfect text to do His work.  His only request is that I be willing to do whatever He asks of me and let Him do the rest.

WHEN IT ALL FALLS APART

Continue reading “What do you do when it all falls apart?”