February 3: Are You Avoiding Envy and Strife?

I'll Fly Away
https://youtube.com/watch?v=PYyyfw349FI&si=iCYryuDhU9Q9A2_b

Being Confident (20)

Do not, therefore, fling away your [fearless] confidence, for it has a glorious and great reward. For you have need of patient endurance [to bear up under difficult circumstances without compromising], so that when you have carried out the will of God, you may receive and enjoy to the full what is promised.

Hebrews 10:35-36 AMP

𝐃𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐁𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐭

𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗝𝗲𝘇𝗲𝗯𝗲𝗹 – 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 1

Two fallen angels that are known as demons (also known as spirits) but consider themselves deities, or gods, as both are prideful and like Lucifer want to be God. In the next part you will read exactly how they operate...

𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗝𝗲𝘇𝗲𝗯𝗲𝗹 – 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 2


Leviathan & Jezebel do not collide by accident


They recognize one another.

1. Leviathan is the spirit of pride, distortion, and superiority.

2. Jezebel is the spirit of control, manipulation, and domination.

Leviathan bends truth. Jezebel enforces outcomes.

Leviathan convinces a person they are right.
Jezebel convinces them they are entitled to rule.
That is why they love to work together.

Leviathan does not need power. He needs to feel above. Jezebel does not need truth. She needs leverage.

When these two spirits partner, environments become emotionally unsafe but spiritually justified. Pride supplies the reasoning. Control supplies the execution.

This partnership shows up in individuals, marriages, churches, and entire communities. Below are 10 ways you can recognize when Leviathan and Jezebel are working together. These are not moments. These are patterns.

1. Control is framed as spiritual authority
Decisions are made without dialogue and justified as discernment. Questioning is labeled rebellion. Disagreement is treated as disrespect. Leviathan convinces the person they are right. Jezebel convinces them they are in charge.

2. Pride and offense become inseparable
Small conflicts feel personal. Disagreements feel like betrayal. The need to have the last word becomes compulsive. Being right matters more than being reconciled.

3. Communication is twisted and then weaponized
Leviathan distorts words. Jezebel uses those distortions to control outcomes. Clarification is rejected. Apologies are dismissed. Conversations feel circular and tense instead of restorative.

4. People are demonized instead of discerned
Human mistakes are framed as spiritual attacks. Flesh and blood are treated like enemies. Jezebel needs opposition. Leviathan supplies justification.

5. Hyper-spiritual judgment replaces humility
Others are constantly evaluated, diagnosed, and corrected. People are quickly labeled prideful, ungodly, or in need of deliverance. Self-examination is absent. Repentance is always for someone else.

6. Anger becomes strategic, not redemptive
Leviathan fuels rage when pride is threatened. Jezebel directs that anger toward punishment. Silent treatment, emotional withdrawal, shaming, and retaliation become tools of control.

7. Prayer and intimacy with God deteriorate
Leviathan dulls intimacy. Jezebel replaces relationship with performance. The person may appear gifted and spiritual, but prayer becomes dry, performative, or avoided altogether.

8. Women are pushed into control rather than trust
Jezebel does not turn women away from men. She turns women into controllers of the men they are with. Leviathan feeds pride. Jezebel feeds domination. Femininity hardens. Partnership becomes power struggle.

9. Authority exists without accountability
Leadership is exercised without submission. Correction is resisted. Leviathan convinces the person they answer only to God. Jezebel resists any structure that limits control.

10. Division follows wherever influence increases
Marriages feel tense. Churches fracture. Communities split into sides. The same relational breakdowns repeat in every environment, while blame is always externalized.

Here is the clarity point.

Leviathan and Jezebel are not revealed by one disagreement, one strong personality, or one boundary. They are revealed by repetition. Repeated offense. Repeated control. Repeated distortion. Repeated relational fallout.

Where pride and control rule together, humility cannot breathe. And the truth is this. Leviathan collapses under humility. Jezebel loses power where truth and accountability exist.

Neither can survive where there is repentance, self-examination, and real intimacy with God.

𝐃𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐁𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐭
> > > 🤍 < < <

This is the heart of the gospel

After the hyperbole of

~ Mark 9:42–48

And the extreme expectations of

~ Matthew 5:17–48

Jesus explains that it is impossible for us to inherit eternal life on our own

Only God can save us

Paul explains this more clearly...

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast"

~ Ephesians 2:8–9

Jesus is not introducing a new way of salvation

~ Hebrews 11:1–2 says...

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not see. For by it the people of old received their commendation."

The passage then gives a list of people from the Old Testament who were saved by faith

That roster didn't begin with Moses or someone else who had received the law

Rather, it started with Abel, from the second generation of people on earth

Everyone who is, has been, or will be saved...

Is saved by grace through faith




Continue reading below 👇

Part 2 continues...


Selfish and arrogant as we are...

Humanity still struggles to accept this idea

Jesus says it is difficult for the rich to trust God for salvation

Conversely...

There are several cases in the Bible where despised criminals do have faith

Levi, the tax collector, becomes a disciple
( ~ Mark 2:13–17 )

Zacchaeus cheated those he collected taxes from, but happily pays them back after his conversion
( ~ Luke 19:1–10)

The thief who was crucified next to Jesus acknowledges and embraces his helpless state
( ~ Luke 23:39–43)

And Paul, who persecuted the church, gives his life spreading the gospel to the Gentiles
( ~ Acts 8:1–3)

Salvation is not restricted to those who grew up in the church, went to Sunday school, and tried to be good

It's easy, and all too common, to write certain people off as

"too far gone"

or

"beyond hope"

But God also offers grace to the vilest of people...

The traffickers and rapists, terrorists and dictators

When it comes to salvation...

There is no difference between the "good" person and the criminal
( ~ James 2:10)

Any who come to faith in Christ can be forgiven and saved

Jesus did not come to call the righteous, but the sinners
( ~ Mark 2:17)


~ Mark 10:17–31 begins as Jesus is trying to teach the disciples that God's kingdom values the powerless
( ~ Mark 9:36–37)

The faithful
( ~ Mark 9:38–41)

Women
( ~ Mark 10:1–12)

And children
( ~ Mark 10:13–16)

The disciples, perhaps, are distracted by the many people who want to arrest or kill Jesus

( ~ John 7:32–52; 8:58–59; 10:22–39; 11:45–54
~ Luke 13:31)

A wealthy young man asks Jesus about eternal life...

And gets an unexpected answer in return

His response to Jesus' answer shows that his interest in God is limited by one thing...

His money

Through all of history...

Wealth has been assumed to suggest the favor of God

But Jesus reveals that those whom God blesses often value the gifts more than the Giver

This story is also in...
~ Matthew 19:16–30
&
~ Luke 18:18–30




My Prayer for Today...

Heavenly Father,

I come before You today

Holding onto the promise in
~ Mark 10:27

Lord,

I confess that in my own strength...

This situation feels impossible

But Your Word declares that with You

All things are possible

I lift up my

{mention your need or challenge}

To You trusting in Your boundless power and grace

Remove my doubts

Strengthen my faith

And do what only You can do

I trust You to make a way where there seems to be no way

In Jesus’ name

I pray

Amen

🙏

𝑴𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒘𝒓𝒂𝒑 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒏 𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒔𝒍𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕.

𝑴𝒂𝒚 𝑮𝒐𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔, 𝒇𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆, 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒋𝒐𝒚. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝑮𝒐𝒅 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒔𝒂𝒇𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝑱𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒔' 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆...

𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕, 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 ♡

𝑺𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎𝒔 — 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒘 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑮𝒐𝒅'𝒔 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒚 🙏🏽🕊

🔹️ 𝔽𝕒𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕪 𝕀𝕟 ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕥 𝕁𝕖𝕤𝕦𝕤 ✝️🍃🕊

🕯 > > > 🤍 < < < 🕯

PRAYER IS THE HEARTBEAT
OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

It is through prayer that we connect with our Creator

Laying our burdens at His feet

Seeking His guidance

And expressing our gratitude

A life saturated with prayer...

Reflects a heart devoted to God

Acknowledging His sovereignty

And cultivating a close personal relationship with Him

The Bible tells us to seek God early

"My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up"

~ Psalm 5:3

Beginning the day in prayer sets the tone for a life centered on God

Equipping us with the strength and wisdom needed to face life's challenges

Prayer is not limited to a specific time or place

The Apostle Paul exhorts believers to

"pray without ceasing"

~ 1 Thessalonians 5:17

This means maintaining an ongoing conversation with God throughout the day

Seeking His will ~ Giving thanks
And lifting up others in need



Part 1 / 2

Part 2 / 2


One of the greatest blessings of prayer is that you can pray anywhere

You don't have to close your eyes or be in a specific posture

Whether you are walking down a trail, driving down the road, or sitting quietly in a room...

You can talk to God

The most important aspect is that you talk to Him as you would your closest friend

A Friend who sticks closer than a brother

        ~ Proverbs 18:24

Jesus exemplified the beauty of private communion with God in His own life

We also see this when He spoke with Nathanael saying...

"Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee"

       ~ John 1:48

This suggests that Nathanael had a private place...

Possibly under a fig tree

Where he went to commune with God

Whether it's a quiet place in nature

A prayer closet

Kneeling beside your bed

Or simply laying down and speaking to Him...

What matters most is the relationship you cultivate with the Lord in your prayer time

Jesus Himself gave thanks before breaking bread

       ~ Matthew 15:36

Praying over meals, whether at home or in public...

Demonstrates gratitude to God as our Provider and serves as a testimony of faith

Never be ashamed to bow your head in prayer

Even in a crowded restaurant...

"Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven"

       ~ Matthew 10:32

Intercessory prayer is a vital aspect of the Christian life

We are called to bear one another's burdens

       ~ Galatians 6:2

And to pray for our pastors, churches, families, and friends

Additionally...

We are instructed to pray for those in authority

"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority"

       ~ 1 Timothy 2:1-2

Faith is the foundation of effective prayer

Jesus said...

"Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them"

      ~ Mark 11:24

Trusting in God's promises allows us to approach Him with confidence

Knowing that He hears

And answers

In His perfect will and timing

Prayer is the lifeline of the believer

A channel of communication with the Almighty

It is a personal relationship

One where you can come to God in humility, gratitude, and love

Knowing that He sees and hears you wherever you are

As you cultivate a habit of prayer...

Seeking God early...

Praying throughout the day...

And interceding for others...

You will experience a deeper and richer relationship with Him

Take comfort in the truth...

That God sees you in your secret place...

Just as He saw Nathanael under the fig tree...

Let your prayer life be an ever present reminder...

That He is near to you...

Ready to listen and answer

Remember the words of
      ~ James 5:16

"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much"

Bow your head ~ Lift your heart
     And speak to your Savior

  Who is always ready to listen


HAVE A VERY BLESSED DAY

Ꮲʀᴀㄚᴇʀ Ꭱᴇ𝗾ᴜᴇsᴛs
https://t.me/+Xxp1ukydctA0NGZk

𝕋ℍ𝔼 𝕃𝔸𝕊𝕋 ℍ🕛𝕌ℝ
https://t.me/+28hwPA96jV9kODRh

𝕋ℍ𝔼 𝕃𝔸𝕊𝕋 ℍ🕛𝕌ℝ~ chat pg.
https://t.me/+HeIKbrhwICFjOWM0

Here is a beautiful song to give praise to the Most High 👇🏽🙏🏽🕊

https://youtu.be/MS4oqZjMLUk?si=6W7CRsjGJEvcmLnS

1/2
𝐓𝔬𝔡𝔞𝔶, 𝔦𝔱'𝔰 𝐓𝔥𝔲𝔯𝔰𝔡𝔞𝔶 𝐅𝔢𝔟𝔯𝔲𝔞𝔯𝔶 5, 2026

𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝑮𝒐𝒅 𝒎𝒚 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝑭𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓, 𝑰 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒎𝒆. 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒀𝒐𝒖, 𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚. 𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆. 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒔𝒐 𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝑰'𝒎 𝒑𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒍𝒆𝒅𝒈𝒆 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔, 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒚, 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒀𝒐𝒖'𝒗𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝒀𝒐𝒖'𝒗𝒆 𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒅. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝒀𝒐𝒖'𝒗𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒚 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒕𝒚.
𝑳𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝑮𝒐𝒅, 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒅 𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅. 𝑰'𝒎 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒏, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔. 𝑰'𝒎 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒗𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒔. 𝑰'𝒎 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒕𝒐 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒀𝒐𝒖'𝒗𝒆 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒘 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒓. 𝑻𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝑰 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅, 𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒐𝒖𝒃𝒕, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇-𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒔𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒕...

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 2 👇🏽

2/2 𝐓𝔥𝔲 • 𝐅𝔢𝔟. 5, 2026

𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐝 👇🏽

... 𝑴𝒚 𝑳𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝑮𝒐𝒅, 𝒄𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝒂𝒎𝒃 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝑰 𝒎𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑱𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒔. 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑰 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝑱𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒔' 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆, 𝑨𝒎𝒆𝒏 🙏🏽 🕊

> > > ♡ < < <

If you grew up where David did...

That would immediately sound suspicious

Because Israel is not soft

It is not rolling

It is not a

“take a nap under a tree and listen to a brook”

Kind of place

It is a rock, dust, thorns, limestone hills, sun that tries to cook you alive, and long stretches of land that look like...

They gave up on being green sometime around Genesis kind of place

So when David says green pastures...

He is not describing something normal

He is describing something rare

Something seasonal

Something you only find if someone who knows the land...

Is leading you there on purpose

Which also means this is not a luxury verse

This is a survival verse

Sheep do not lie down if they are hungry

They do not lie down if they are afraid

They do not lie down if they are stressed, chased, or convinced a predator is about to make them an appetizer

They stand when they are unsure

They stay alert when they feel unsafe



Part 1 / 2

Part 2 continues...


So when David says...

“He maketh me lie down”

He is saying that the Shepherd has brought him to a place so unexpectedly good that...

Even his nervous system finally stops filing complaints

Not because the wilderness disappeared...

But because for a moment...

He is not starving in it

"He leadeth me beside the still waters"

And again...

This is not a decorative sentence

In this land...

Water is not background noise

It is life or death

Most water runs fast through ravines and dry riverbeds that turn violent without warning

Flash floods, slippery rocks, rushing currents, and places where a sheep can be swept away in seconds

Still water is not common

It has to be...

Found

Protected

Chosen

It is the difference between...

Living and not

So...

David is not saying God gave him a pretty view

He is saying God knows where the only safe water is hiding in a land that can kill you if you guess wrong

This verse is not about cozy rest

It is about a Shepherd who knows the terrain

And still finds a way to keep His flock alive in it

David is saying...

I live in a land that can break you

I walk through dust and danger and long, empty spaces

And somehow...

Against all odds...

God keeps leading me to places that should not exist

He keeps finding me green

He keeps finding me water

He keeps finding me rest


Not because the land is kind

But because the Shepherd is