“The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:1-3 NASB1995)

Who is the Lord who is being spoken of here? He is God – Father, Son Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit. He was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and he is the God of all who believe in Jesus Christ today as their Lord (Owner-Master), who have died with Christ to sin, who have been reborn of the Spirit of God, and who are now living to please our Lord in walks of obedience to his commands, in practice, in the power of God.

Deity of Christ: [John 1:1-36; John 8:24,58; John 10:30-33; John 20:28-29; Romans 9:5; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 2:9; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8-9; 1 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Peter 1:1]

And in what ways is he our shepherd? Well, a shepherd watches over and cares for the sheep, he gives guidance and protection to the sheep, he provides safety to them from predators, he feeds them, he heals their wounds, and he leads them to safe pasture.

What has our shepherd done for us, his spiritual sheep? Well, first God the Father sent Jesus Christ, God the Son, to the earth to be born as a baby to a virgin woman, conceived of the Holy Spirit. And since Jesus was not conceived of man, he was not born with a sin nature as we are, and he never once sinned against the Father or against humanity. And while he lived on the earth he was fully God and fully man (God incarnate) who healed the sick, raised the dead, comforted the sorrowful, and performed many miracles. He preached repentance for forgiveness and salvation from sin.

But the religious rulers and people of influence in the temple of God hated Jesus and they wanted him dead, so they planned for his crucifixion, and they used the Romans to carry it out for them. But all this was in God’s plan. For in Jesus’ death he put our sins to death with him so that, by God-gifted faith in him, we will now die to sin and obey God with our lives in daily practice. He gave his life up for us, and was resurrected from the dead, so that we can now live in freedom from slavery to sin, and so that we can serve God with our lives under his shepherding (guidance and command).

[Isaiah 53:1-12; Matthew 26:26-29; Luke 17:25; John 1:1-36; John 6:35-58; John 8:24,58; John 10:27-33; John 20:28-29; Romans 5:8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 9:5; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 2:9; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8-9; Hebrews 2:14-15; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Peter 1:1]

So, as our shepherd, he provides for our needs (what God regards as needs). He teaches us to put our trust in him and to let him lead us in the way that we should go. He leads us in the ways of righteousness, holiness, and godliness, and he empowers us to live holy lives pleasing to him. He teaches us to not fear any opposition and whatever may come our way, and he lets us know his hand will guide us in what to do and in what to say, when needed, if we trust him and follow him, and if we will wait on him.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:27-30 NASB1995)

And hearing is listening, and listening is heeding, and heeding is obeying. And following is listening, and following is doing, and following is obeying. We are his sheep if we are heeding his words and if are doing what he says.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Acts 26:18]

My Sheep

Based off John 10:1-30 NIV
An Original Work / June 24, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

My sheep hear me. They know me.
They listen to my voice and obey.
I call them and lead them.
They know my voice, so they follow me.
They will never follow strangers.
They will run away from them.
The voice of a stranger they know not;
They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that
I am the gate, so you enter in.
Whoever does enter
Will find forgiveness and will be saved.
Nonetheless whoever enters
Not by the gate; other way,
He is the thief and a robber.
Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,
Who laid his own life down for the sheep.
I know them. They know me.
They will live with me eternally.
The thief only comes to steal and
Kill and to destroy the church.
I have come to give you life that
You may have it to the full…

They know my voice, so they follow me.

The Lord is My Shepherd
An Original Work / March 17, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love