STATE MISSIONS: Psalms 23 (Part 1 of 8)
Note: This series of articles previously ran in 2015.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1). Most of God’s people have found comfort and solace from the words penned in the 23rd Psalm. In this brief but powerful discourse, we find strength in times of weakness and courage in times of discouragement. All Scripture is God-breathed and precious, and at the same time, there are those passages that seem special. Examples of this are John 3:16, Eph. 2:8-9 and Rom. 10:9. I would like for us to dig a little deeper into this wonderful Psalm over the next few issues.
In verse 1, David said, “The Lord is my shepherd.” The term “Lord” signifies someone who exercises dominion and authority over others. Throughout world history, both the literal and symbolic significance of bread as a fundamental food source is reflected in the word “lord.” This term is derived from a compound word that originated in early English, combining “hlāf,” meaning bread or loaf, and “weard,” meaning guardian or keeper.
Therefore, “Lord” literally translates to guardian of the bread. It’s important to note that David uses “The” Lord, not just any lord. This highlights David’s recognition of God as the creator and sustainer of all things. He further emphasizes this with his declaration, using “is” instead of “might be,” “could be” or “hope” he is — it shows David’s confidence. What is the Lord? “My” shepherd — again, not merely any shepherd, but one that is personal to me.
Through this statement, David reveals his personal feelings about God. David knew the intimacy of God’s presence and worshipped Him. What did David worship? The shepherd, not just any shepherd, but the Great Shepherd. Have you ever considered that Jesus was both the lamb and the shepherd? The lamb who came to take our sins upon Himself, to die in our place and become the sacrificial lamb slain from the foundations of the world. Yet, He also came to be the Good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd, yours and my shepherd. He concludes verse one with, “I shall not want.” I appreciate what the little girl said when she recited this verse — “The Lord is my shepherd. He gives me all I want.” How could David have made such a statement? Because our shepherd is all-sufficient. Nothing can add to His satisfying nature nor diminish His fullness. Those who belong to Him know the peace that only the shepherd provides. Our wealth is found in His riches and glory; eternal life is ours along with the promise that all shall be added. For “all,” He knows we want. There is a need to stay close to the shepherd. Those who do are the safest and best cared for because of His availability. Sadly, too many of His sheep wander to other fields.
From Our Missionaries
Misión Creciendo en Cristo (Growing in Christ), North Little Rock: Juan Carlos Posadas writes, “On Feb. 20, Maria Fernanda, our eldest child, celebrated her birthday. That morning, we enjoyed a father-daughter breakfast, and in the evening, we had dinner with our closest friends and family, spending quality time together.
On Saturday, Fernanda invited several friends from her various social circles — work, theater, church and family — to celebrate her birthday with some fun. We had a fantastic time and expressed our love for the birthday girl. We thank God for Fernanda’s life and rejoice that she is serving the Lord.
“On Sunday, we celebrated World Missions Day. Oscar Gomez preached from Rom. 10:14-15, challenging us to respond to God’s call by participating in the mission of bringing the gospel to people who have not yet known God as their Lord and Savior. It is a blessing to hear the preaching of a brother who has been prepared in the church for the work that God has entrusted to him. Bro. Oscar is one of the most advanced students in the Bible Institute classes. We thank God for his life and for his example of commitment to God, as he leads his family and guides them to Christ. Let us pray for Oscar, his wife Maricela, and their daughters Ariana, Julieth and Belen.”
Ebenezer, West Little Rock: Ruben Isturiz writes, “I am thankful for the opportunity that God gave us last Saturday to celebrate a baby shower for Chiquinquirá and Armando Flores. They came to Ebenezer at the invitation of one of the participants from the ‘Movements of the Gospel’ workshop. Since Jeckson created his Oikos map, he has discovered the people around him whom he can influence to invite to church.
Chiquinquirá and Armando have just arrived in Arkansas. They have no family here in the U.S., and on Tuesday, she has her appointment for her cesarean section. I thank God for Ebenezer for moving so quickly in preparing the baby shower, from decorations to food, gifts, and invitations, all in just one week. It felt like we had been planning for weeks; it was the best way to show the love of Christ. God willing, I will visit them in the hospital on Tuesday to see Matthew. Pray that they will come to know and give their lives to Christ.
“Thank you, brothers and sisters; without your support, it would be very difficult to do missions. To God be the glory!”
Faith Chapel, Flippin: Johnny Shew writes, “Please forgive my brief report last week. I was feeling awful and was on pain medication. I’m doing much better this week; I will get my stitches out on Monday. We indeed had a great week of worship, along with significantly improved attendance and one first-time visitor.
Sadly, some members lost their grandson in a tragic ATV accident this week. Please join us in prayer for his family. He was only 15, but through much prayer, the Lord is providing peace and comfort, and they are coping with this, knowing that he was indeed saved and is now present with the Lord. Praise God! This morning, I asked the congregation, considering that one moment he was playing in the snow with his family and friends and the next he had passed, what is more important to you than ensuring that your family, friends and neighbors hear the gospel, learn about Jesus, and find salvation? It brings a new sense of urgency to our mission.
“I want to thank you all for your prayers and support. We don’t take it for granted, and we pray that your loved ones will also be saved.”
Faith Journey, Benton: Bryan Clay writes, “We held our monthly Mountain Movers meeting at a local middle school, where about 54 kids and faculty participated this month. Our lesson focused on Peter walking on the water toward Jesus. We discussed how Peter began to sink when he took his eyes off the Lord and called for help before sinking too far.
We emphasized that you should keep looking to Jesus for support and cry out to Him before you find yourself in situations beyond your control. We must always seek Christ to fulfill our daily needs and keep us safe and secure.”
Misión Gracia Soberana (Sovereign Grace), NWA:Roberto Marcelletti writes, “We are grateful for your support and prayers. This week in our city, there was very little mobilization because the streets were covered in ice and snow, so we could not meet in our small groups. We visited the home of Franklin and Mayerlin, brothers living in a very difficult situation. We prayed for them, encouraged them to move forward and offered our help.
“Otherwise, we had a great time of prayer on Wednesday. A group of brothers and sisters prayed for our needs, for the country and for our mission.
“On Sunday, 13 children attended Sunday school — a record number. Patty took care of them. She is still a little affected by her lungs, but with love, she managed to teach them. She asked for help from one of the church’s teenagers, but as you can see, we need more trained teachers and a large blackboard for them. So we ask for your prayers.”
Epic Life, Pea Ridge: Jake McCandless writes, “Wow, what a night! We held our second Epic Life Student Gathering last night and had 13 students! All of our students invited friends, and five students came for the first time. I personally visited each of their families, and it was incredible. We held the gathering at Pea Ridge’s new community center.
The culture we have created through the home Bible studies has laid a strong foundation for our students to invite others. It was awesome to see everything come together.
“Winter weather kept our groups from getting together formally, though many of our families found ways to get together this week. Pray for us this week as we prepare for a collective worship night at our house.”
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Paul White
Arkansas State Missions Director Paul White pens a weekly column to inform the BMA of Arkansas concerning Arkansas Missions’ activity and includes individual reports from each church planter.
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