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Do you really know who your Shepherd is?

Many of us grew up with a distorted picture of God—distant, disappointed, always watching for us to mess up. But what if that image isn't just off—it's completely wrong?

Psalm 23 opens with a game-changer: "The Lord is my shepherd." That's not just a poetic line. It's a radical shift in perspective. David wasn't focused on himself, his enemies, or even the cave he was hiding in. He was focused on who God is.

And that's the same invitation for us: stop letting secondhand ideas define God and let Him speak for Himself.

When God introduced Himself to Moses in Exodus 34, He didn't lead with power or judgment. He said, "I am merciful. I am gracious." He doubled down: "merciful, merciful." In Hebrew, those words go even deeper—He's kind, compassionate, generous. "I am" isn't a harsh taskmaster. He is a God who bends low to care for the broken.

Jesus lived this out. Remember the woman caught in adultery in John 8? Everyone had stones in hand. Jesus didn't ignore the sin but didn't condemn her either. He said, "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more." That's the real heart of God: mercy first, compassion over condemnation.

So whether you're walking through cancer, heartbreak, failure, or just the grind of life—hear this clearly: your pain isn't a punishment. It's part of living in a broken world. But your Shepherd hasn't changed. He's still merciful. Still gracious. Still with you.

Psalm 23 comforts us not because life gets easier but because we realize who's with us. The Shepherd is good.

Here's what this truth grounds us in:

• "The Lord is my shepherd" shifts our focus off ourselves and onto who God is.
• When God reveals Himself, He starts with mercy, His leading trait.
• "Gracious" in Hebrew isn't just polite, it means kind, compassionate, generous.
• Jesus embodies this fully: mercy without compromise, love without condemnation.
• Your struggles aren't signs of divine anger but symptoms of a fallen world.
• True peace comes when we stop obsessing over our failures and start seeing our Shepherd.

Today, choose to trust the God who is, not the version you've heard about, feared, or misunderstood.

He's merciful. He's gracious. And He hasn't taken His eyes off you for a second.

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Mercy Is My Shepherd

What if misunderstandings have shaped your entire view of God? The opening line of Psalm 23—“The Lord is my shepherd”—isn’t just comforting; it’s confrontational. It asks: Do you really know who this “Lord” is?

David wrote those words while on the run—likely hiding from his own son Absalom, who wanted him dead. In that moment of fear and betrayal, David didn’t just believe in God—he knew Him. And not as a distant force but as someone deeply personal and trustworthy. That’s a far cry from how many of us see God: we say He’s good, but deep down, we wonder if He’s disappointed in us or just waiting for us to mess up again.

The Hebrew text helps clear the fog. When you see “LORD” in all caps, it’s translating Yahweh—God’s personal name. The name He gave Moses at the burning bush: “I AM.” Not I was, or I will be. Just I AM. Unchanging. Not bound by time. Not swayed by circumstances. This means Psalm 23 could just as well read: “I AM is my shepherd.”

Let that sink in: The eternal, self-sustaining Creator of the universe has made Himself your guide, protector, and caretaker. Not out of obligation. Out of choice.

And here’s the most revealing part: when God defined Himself to Moses in Exodus 34, the first word He used wasn’t powerful, holy, or just. It was merciful. Before anything else, God wanted us to know: I’m full of mercy.

This is the same heart we see in Jesus’ story of the prodigal son: a father running full speed toward his broken, shame-filled child before a single word of apology is spoken. That’s God. That’s Yahweh. His mercy outruns your failure, your fear, your shame. He loves with more tenderness than a mother nursing her newborn.

That flips Psalm 23 on its head. We don’t just have a shepherd. Mercy is our shepherd.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve blown it as a parent, a partner, a believer, or a human being. Mercy is still walking with you through the valley.

So here’s the question: When was the last time you let God tell you who He is—instead of projecting your past experiences, guilt, or doubts onto Him?

Take this truth with you today: Mercy is your shepherd.

Let it rewrite the way you see Him. Let it change the way you walk through your life.

Key Takeaways:

• Psalm 23 centers on who God is, not on what we do.
• “LORD” translates to Yahweh, meaning I AM—eternal, unchanging, self-existent.
• When God introduced Himself, He led with mercy—not power.
• His love is more dependable than even a mother’s love for her child.
• We often assume God is like human authority figures—but He isn’t.
• The prodigal son story shows a God who runs toward us, not away.
• “Mercy is my shepherd” reframes how we read and live Psalm 23.
• God doesn’t need us, but He wants us—purely out of love.
• Mercy doesn’t abandon us when we fail—it stays, leads, and heals.

Let that truth lead you today.

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The Shepherd's Pursuit: Psalm 23 Reimagined

What if everything you thought about Psalm 23 was shaped more by funeral homes than by the raw, bleeding reality it came from?

Picture this: a broken man crouched in a cave. He's not writing from comfort but chaos. His son wants him dead. His best friend betrayed him. The kingdom is falling apart. His heart is heavy with regret—failures as a father, husband, and king. And from that place of desperation, David writes the most quoted psalm in the Bible.

The Cave, Not the Pasture

Psalm 23 wasn't birthed in a peaceful meadow with sheep nibbling on grass. It came out of the wilderness. Out of running. Out of fear. The "valley of the shadow of death" wasn't poetic language—it was David's actual location. He was a fugitive, not a farmer.

And that context changes everything.

Confidence Before Confession

Right here is where the religious mind starts to short-circuit. Because David doesn't open with an apology, he doesn't start by saying, "Lord, I've failed." He doesn't promise to do better. He begins with something bolder than repentance: "The Lord is my shepherd."

Hold on. David is the man who:

• Let his daughter be violated and did nothing
• Slept with another man's wife and had him killed
• Made choices that led to a national civil war

And yet, he starts with confidence, not guilt. He doesn't say, "Lord, if you'll still have me." He says, "Lord, you're mine. And I'm yours."

The Prodigal Principle

This sounds a lot like that father in Jesus' story, the one who didn't wait for a perfect apology. The son was still filthy from the pigpen, shame still dripping off him—and the father ran. Cut off the rehearsed speech. Wrapped him in love before he had a chance to explain.

That's the kind of Shepherd David knew. This Shepherd doesn't operate on performance but on pursuit.

"I Shall Not Want"—A Declaration Over Time

That phrase—"I shall not want"—carries more than just poetic rhythm. In Hebrew, it speaks to the past, present, and future. David is saying:

• I haven't lacked
• I don't lack
• I won't lack

Because God hasn't changed, even when David had, his Shepherd wasn't faithful because David was—it was because He is.

This isn't motivational; it's not wishful thinking. It's trust rooted in God's character, not the sheep's behavior.

Not a Funeral Psalm, but a Battle Cry

Psalm 23 was never meant just to comfort the dying. It's a declaration for the living. For the desperate. For the ones hiding in caves and trying to figure out if they've blown it too badly to be loved again.

It says the Shepherd comes looking for lost sheep. Not the ones who find their way home. The ones too hurt, too ashamed, too stuck to move. And He doesn't come with a club of punishment. His rod and staff are for protection and rescue. To fight off what's chasing you. To pull you close when you want to run.

Turn Around

If you've been hiding—ashamed, exhausted, feeling disqualified—hear this: the Shepherd isn't waiting for you to clean up your act. He's not waiting for promises you can't keep. He's chasing you. Right now. With the same love that ran to David in a cave and the same love that ran to a p

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Have you ever felt like you’re just not good enough for God?

That’s where I found myself—completely wrecked, not just spiritually but physically. I’m battling stage four kidney cancer. It’s spread to my lungs. I’ve lost a kidney, a testicle, and both adrenal glands. And in the silence of night, when no one’s around, the darkest thoughts show up: God doesn’t love me. I’m going to die and be forgotten. My friends don’t care.

Then something unexpected happened. I started meditating on Psalm 23.
The opening line—“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want”—became my lifeline. It calmed my panic attacks. It helped me sleep again. Most of all, it started breaking the grip of a lie I’d believed for years: God’s love must be earned.

I grew up knowing Jesus loved me, but only in my head. My heart couldn’t hold onto it. My dad loved me, but he always pushed for more. An A on a test was met with, “Why not all As?” Over time, that became my image of God: constantly evaluating, never satisfied, waiting for me to measure up. It made me critical of everyone else, too. I became a spiritual scorekeeper, not a son.

The turning point came through two things: friends who showed me grace when I didn’t deserve it, and those quiet nights meditating on Psalm 23. Slowly, I began to see the truth:
God doesn’t love me because I’m right.
He loves me because He’s right.
He doesn’t love me because I earned it.
He loves me because I can’t.

Romans 5:6 says, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
That truth is changing me. And I believe it can change you too.

So I made this podcast. Each episode is under 10 minutes, straight from my heart. No hype. No filters. Just one hurting person talking to another.
If life’s backed you into a corner…
If you’ve hurt the people you love…
If you wonder whether God really sees you or cares—this is for you.

The Holy Spirit is closer than you think. And He wants to show you:
You are fully known.
You are deeply loved.
And you don’t have to earn a thing.

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It’s been over six months since I last recorded a podcast. In that time, God has been working intensely in me. I’ve grown in Christ and experienced His grace in ways that are hard to put into words.

I’m starting again—with short, regular episodes focused on one powerful truth: how much God loves us and how that love should transform our lives.
If this resonates with you, please let me know. Your feedback will help me decide whether to keep going.

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What if a city of millions never hears the life-changing message of Jesus Christ? Today, we bring you an urgent broadcast from Medellin, Colombia, a city that desperately needs hundreds of churches to spread the gospel. With a population steeped in the struggles of drugs, terrorism, sin, and death, Medellin is also teeming with potential for spiritual transformation. Our episode calls attention to the missionaries already laboring here and the immense need for more hands on deck. We implore you to consider your role in this great mission—whether through fervent prayer, generous giving, or even going yourself to these often-overlooked corners of the world.

Join us as we confront the stark contrast between the gospel-saturated United States and the gospel-starved regions like Medellin. We ask you to reflect deeply: How much of your prayer life and income are you dedicating to the cause of global evangelism? This episode challenges you to align your actions with your professed love for Jesus' mission. Let’s come together to bring the light and love of the gospel to Medellin, a city on the brink of spiritual awakening. Your involvement can make an eternal difference.

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What if the real secret to transformative leadership in church planning and missionary work isn't in programs, but in people? In this compelling episode, we unpack the invaluable lesson that Jesus himself modeled: choosing and investing deeply in a few teachable, curious, and service-driven individuals. We're here to show you how to step away from traditional classroom settings and create impactful mentorship opportunities amid everyday activities. Whether you're playing a round of golf or simply enjoying a casual outing, meaningful conversations about faith and life can turn these moments into powerful, life-changing experiences.

Our conversation highlights the importance of never walking the ministry path alone. Instead of isolating your training to formal environments, integrate it into your daily life, continually bringing up discussions about Jesus and the Bible. This people-centric approach to ministry fosters deeper connections and equips those around you with the tools they need to thrive spiritually. If you're ready to take your leadership to the next level, tune in to learn how to make your ministry not just more effective, but more meaningful. Listen now and discover how to leave a lasting impact by investing in people, just as Jesus did.

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Can you really afford to spend all your time preparing sermons without actively engaging with your community? In this episode, we tackle the delicate balance between sermon preparation and meaningful, hands-on ministry. Our guest, an experienced missionary, shares invaluable insights on how to truly make an impact. From door-knocking to hospital visits and even playing soccer, the conversation underscores the importance of being present and fully immersed in the lives of those you serve. We explore how every interaction can be a teaching moment and how to make the most of your time by always having young men accompany you on ministry activities.

Drawing inspiration from how Jesus might have utilized his time, we challenge you to adopt a similar mindset. Imagine a week where you're not just preparing sermons but also training and mentoring through everyday interactions. We discuss practical strategies, such as never traveling alone and always filling your car with young men eager to learn. The goal is to create an environment where faith and mission are woven into the fabric of daily life. Tune in for practical advice and inspiring stories that will encourage you to be hands-on and fully engaged in your missionary journey.

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