Social Distancing The Lord’s House

Social Distancing

The Lord’s House

The Good Shepherd has always been concerned for the flock

He will go out for the one who went astray

But only to bring the one back to the flock

As it will be in eternity, so it is a shadow of life now

If you go to church, the House of the Lord

And are not looking for the presences of the Lord, you missed it

If you do not go to church for any reason, you missed it

God has always chose to dwell among His people

Men like Moses, David, Solomon, Ezekiel, the Disciples and more have

Always tried to make the place where God dwells with His people, a better place

We, too, with the hope of God’s House in Heaven

Should seek to make His dwelling place on earth the best we can

A place where people can experience the Good Shepherd

And all the benefits of Psalms 23  

The Lord’s House

Psalms 23 is jam packed with amazement.

Six verses that seem to open

our minds to unending beauty.

An amazing Shepherd who

fulfills every want of ours.

These six verses bring us

comfort every day of our lives.

When we come to verse six we

read of the bonus of all bonuses.

Not only will…

“Surely goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life”

Then the BIG “AND”…

“and I will dwell in the house of the LORD

forever.”

This half a verse alone is enough to fill

your mind all the days of your life…

“Forever”

Eternity, no end.

Have you ever been in a

place you never wanted to leave?

Have you ever experienced contentment

 you never wanted to go away?

The Psalmist sees this

place as the House of the LORD.

The House of the LORD spoke

about in eloquent words with

deep passion throughout the Bible.

Psalms 27:4…

One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek:

that I may dwell in the house of the LORD

all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD

and to seek him in his temple.

Psalms 84:10 NLT…

A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else!

I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God

than live the good life in the homes of the wicked.

God’s Word is full of people

asking for “ONE thing”…

 A single moment, a day

 “in the House of the LORD”.

What makes His House so attractive?

It is not the street of gold

recorded in the Book of Revelation.

It is not the throne and all

the heavenly beings music.

It is one thing…

 The Good Shepherd

The LORD

My heart breaks for those who have not

experienced the presence of the LORD.

There is no greater sadness then to see

 someone looking for the “elsewhere”.

Better is one day in your courts

than a thousand elsewhere.

 Psalms 84:10

We all have had a “thousand elsewheres”.

We are all chasing the dreams.

Sadly, we do not see the most beautiful

place in the entire universe, in all time…

The presence of the LORD.

 

Why does Psalms 23 and so many

others speak of this beautiful place?

It is not because of a pipe dream.

They have tasted that the LORD…

And He is Good.

They have felt the LORD’s  presence.

  

God has told us more than once…

“Never will I leave you”

Hebrews 13:4; Deuteronomy 31:6

How can we have this same joy?

How can we come to a place of

wanting only one thing for all eternity?

We are told if we seek Him…

 He will be found.

What does that look like?

First, we must ask ourselves…

 “What pleases God?”

Our thought of what pleases us keeps

us from ever finding eternal peace.

What pleases God is a belief structure.

What you believe or how strongly or

shallowly you believe something…

 Makes all the difference in how

and where you will go in life.

There are two key test…

Do you believe God…

 The Good Shepherd Exist?

Do you believe He rewards those

who EARNESTLY SEEK HIM?

And without faith it is impossible to please God,

because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists

and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

 Hebrews 11:6

On earth, the temple and the church

are the model of the House of the Lord.

God promises wherever two or more are

gathered in His name He will be there.

 Matthew 18:20

The Good Shepherd has always

been concerned for the flock.

He will go out for the one who went astray,

 but only to bring the one back to the flock.

As it will be in eternity,

so it is a shadow of life now.

If you go to church, the House of the Lord, and are

not looking for the presence of the Lord…

 You missed it.

If you do not go to church,

 for any reason, you missed it. 

God has always chose to dwell among His people.

Men like Moses, David, Solomon, Ezekiel,

the Disciples and more have always

tried to make the place where God

dwells with His people, a better place.

We, too, with the hope of God’s House

 in Heaven, should seek to make His

dwelling place on earth the best we can.

A place where people can experience

the Good Shepherd and

all the benefits of Psalms 23.

  

Scripture Reading

 Psalms 23 NIV

23:1 A psalm of David.

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

3 he restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness

for his name's sake.

4 Even 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.

5 You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD

forever.