Social Distancing Your Rod and Your Staff Part 2

Social Distancing

Your Rod and Your Staff Part 2

If we recognize, “We have seen the enemy and the enemy is us”

Than we should take comfort in the Rod and Staff of the Good Shepherd

The rod of correction imparts wisdom. Proverbs 29:15

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,

but he who hates correction is stupid.

Proverbs 12:1

There is no comfort in fearing the Rod and Staff of the Good Shepherd

To hide in fear and guilt

 

Comfort only comes as we welcome God’s correction in our lives

To be open and truthful

Your Rod and Your Staff Part 2

We have met the enemy may refer to…

We have met the enemy and they are ours,

part of a message from American naval

officer, Oliver Hazard Perry in 1813

after defeating and capturing Royal

Navy ships in the Battle of Lake Erie.

Walt Kelly, lived from 1913 to 1973

through WW1, WW2, and the Vietnam War.

He wrote a comic strip “Pogo”

which ran from 1948 to 1975.

Walt Kelly’s attitude was revealed

through the Pogo comic strip.

An attitude of man becoming his own worst enemy.

The effects of war and human nature revealed

Kelly’s attitude and he became popular for

his twist to Officer Perry’s words and writes…

“We have met the enemy, and he is us.”

The Bible surely confirms this statement.

There is a way that seems right to a man,

but in the end it leads to death.

Proverbs 16:25

We have a way of sabotaging our own lives.

It is amazing how harmful some little words

are, like a small bullet from a gun.

A word can quickly bring devastation.

In David’s life there were actions that

brought good and actions that brought evil.

David’s sin, his actions, left him in

the Shadow of Death several times.

I think when David wrote Psalms 23,

he saw himself as one of those sheep

 who not only needed to be protected from the

evil around him, but the evil within himself.

Proverbs 3:11-12…

 Recognizes the Rod of the Shepherd

as an act of love.  

My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline

and do not resent his rebuke,

because the LORD disciplines those he loves,

as a father the son he delights in.

Proverbs 16:1-3…

 Recognizes our need for a shepherd

to take the staff to guide us. 

To man belong the plans of the heart,

but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue.

All a man's ways seem innocent to him,

but motives are weighed by the LORD.

Commit to the LORD whatever you do,

and your plans will succeed.

If we recognize…

 “We have seen the enemy

and the enemy is us.”

Than we should take comfort in the

Rod and Staff of the Good Shepherd.

The rod of correction imparts wisdom.

 Proverbs 29:15

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.

Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness

and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 12:11

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,

but he who hates correction is stupid.

Proverbs 12:1

There is no comfort in fearing the

Rod and Staff of the Good Shepherd.

To hid in fear and guilt.

  

Comfort only comes as we

welcome God’s correction in our lives.

To be open and truthful.

Scripture Reading

Psalms 23:1-24:1 NIV

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.