My father, whom I am named after, restored a number of cars for them. After Dad restored the cars they would drive the cars in an Horseless Carriage car tour driving sometimes several hundred miles. The brother let Dad take me with them on the tour. Each evening the tour would stop at a different town and have a car show.

If you saw the restored cars you would never think that they started out as a rusted discarded car in someone’s field. Several times I went with Dad and the Minges brother to pick up cars they had found. One they found in Georgia was a 1906 Buick. It was beside an old building and covered with vines and weeds and great deteriorated and covered with rust. We winched it up on a trailer and took it back to Rocky Mount. I still have a picture of the car in my mind. Yet, about I think two years later, after Dad had pains- takenly restored it, it looked like it just came from the factory. I was blue with white pin strips, brass radiator and trim, head lights. Beautiful wood dash and floor. It has Beautiful white leather seats and top. What a change had occurred in the hands of my skilled father. I have both memories of that car, before and after it was restored. What a drastic change.

It reminds me that when God takes the lost sinner, who is in rebellion against God, living in ugly sin and by His grace transforms that man, woman, boy or girl into a righteous child of God. I think about myself and what I was before God saved me. I was outwardly not a terrible sinner, but in my heart I was cared for little other than myself. I did all the cardinal sins and thought nothing of them. Yet, how that all changed when Christ found me, when I heard the Gospel and believed. Like that old 1906 Buick I was remade by God’s grace. Jesus called it being born again forgiven of all our sins and receiving the imparted righteousness of God. When I saw that 06 Buick to me it was a beautiful thing.

Speaking of those who are Christ’s witnesses and who carry the Gospel to others the Lord said, "And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! " (Romans 10:15)

There are times also when the Christian needs to experience spiritual restoration.

David frankly admitted the need of his heart after his sins of adultery and murder. Psalms 51:12 says, "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation." Is this also what he had in mind when he wrote the Twenty Third Psalm?

Regardless of how close your walk has been with the Lord there are times when you probably feel the need of restoration. How is it possible for a Christian who practices a daily quiet time and sincerely attempts to live for the Lord to drift from Him?

We may not be able to explain why it happens. But we know when it has happened to us. This verse tells about the spiritual restoration that we receive from the Lord and also about the divine leadership we receive from Him. We will consider how:

A. "He restoreth my soul" V3 --He provides us with the nourishment that we need. The feeding of our soul gives us the strength we need for daily living.

The Hebrew word for restoreth is "shuwb" and means to "return, to turn back, with the idea of returning to the starting point."

ILLUS: When we are ill, often our appetite is not what it should be. We have no desire to eat and, as a result, we do not gain the strength we need to maintain our schedule. Days seem to get longer as our energy level gets lower. One thing we know, if we are ever to get back to full activity we must have nourishment.

In the same way, we can get spiritually depleted. Our schedules often allow no time for our spiritual lives. We get busy caring for the urgent things of life and don't take time for the really important things. Our spiritual life begins to atrophy. Unless we give attention to this important part of our lives, we are headed for disaster. It is in times like this that we learn what it means for the Lord to restore our souls. He gives us what we need, when we need it.

There are people in churches across the land today that have not learned the value of this verse. There definite symptoms that can be seen in their lives.

Often Christians pray and they do not see God answering. They do not understand that God hears all our prayers and answers them by giving us what we need. Sometimes it is better for us spiritual to bear a burden that we might be more dependent on Him. A child that gets all he wishes for will be spoiled and useless. He never learns to appreciate what he has, because it came so easy.

He does not understand how that adversity strengths us and helps us grow. The problem we have today may be small compared to the problems we will face in the future. If we do not learn to deal with small problems now by faith, trusting in God’s provision the future problem will be much worse to deal with and may crush us.

Job 5:7 says that man is born to trouble. He knew trouble....trouble that he did not cause, yet it came as Satan attack him. He said.

"Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble." (Job 14:1)

Have you noted the faith of Job. READ Job 13:13-18

B. The Lord is the sheep’s refuge. "The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble." (Psalms 9:9)

Often Christians do not understand the role of adversity in their lives. The want things to always work out the way they plan. They do not want struggle and strife. When it comes they have not learn to deal with it.

Psalms 42:11 says, "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me?" People who are intimately acquainted with sheep know that this is a picture of a sheep that has gotten on its back and cannot get back on its feet. It is referred to as a "cast down sheep" or just a "cast sheep."

The condition is serious because often the sheep will not make any sound when they are cast down. They just lie on their backs and frantically struggle to stand. Unless they are placed back on their feet in a short period of time they will die. They are totally dependant on the shepherd for their survival when they are cast down.

Often they withdraw from other believers and those around them. They can become bitter and often begin to blame others for their problems. That may or may not be so, but seeking to blame others does nothing to overcome the problem.

When a sheep gets on its back and struggles to get up, gases begin to build up in the rumen (part of the stomach). As the gases continue to expand circulation to the legs is cut off. If it is very hot and sunny a cast sheep will die within a few hours. (A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, p. 63.)

The diligent shepherd will search through his flock and locate the sheep that are cast down. He then goes to them and does what they can not do for themselves. He places them back on their feet.

However, even though Christian are somewhat like sheep, a believing can call for the Lord’s help. He/she can all their pastor, or friend. Often the best help to give someone is just to listen to them and help them let it out.

But sometimes pride gets in the way and the believer will not seek help. Often in my ministry I found out about people having struggles that I did not know about.

ILLUS: When is the last time that you felt like you were "cast down"? Have you had those times when you felt like you just couldn't get on your feet. You are out of fellowship with the Lord and are powerless to do anything about it?

In times like these, we need the Great Shepherd to "restore our soul." We need Him to pick us up. Only He one can restore our soul. See Psa. 40:1-3.

The Lord is not content with just picking us up and placing us back on our feet. He doesn't just pat us on the head and send us on our way. David says He also leads us in the direction that we need to go.

A. "he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness" This is the verse that promises us the guidance we need for life. Christ Himself will direct us in how to live.

The verse simple says.....the Lord will lead you to what is right.

Why do sheep need to be led? It is necessary because they do not always know what it best for them. Sheep have been known to follow a trail of good grass without paying attention to surrounding danger. Some have followed a trail of grass to the edge of a cliff and then tumbled off.

Others have wandered away from the flock and into a pack of wolves without realizing the danger. Satan is like a raging lion and seeks to devour the believer. He seeks out the weaker ones and cunning attacks.

Peter said "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 5:8-11)

But these are not the only reasons sheep must be led. They are notorious for being creatures of habit. They wonder into a dangerous area only to be led back by the shepherd. Often at the first opportunity they go right back to the same danger.

There is a misconception that sheep can get along anywhere. But sheep men will tell you that it is imperative that just the right land be selected for grazing. Why do you think there are so many false Christian religions and cults?

ILLUS: I once had a dear lady who was clearly saved and loved the Lord. But she had been in a false church practicing their false teachings for 40 years. She got old and her church left her behind. She called me and said she wanted to go to church but her church would not help her get to church anymore. She was too much trouble. Well, we went and picker her up and found she was a wonderful lady. After about four months she called me and said she wanted to talk with me. She said she was mad. I hurried over not knowing what I would face. I ask her was she mad with me or someone in our church. No, she replied...I mad at all the pastors who lied to me all those years. She was a tongues speaker in that Pentecostal church because that is what she was taught and did not know better. But studying on her own and attending a sound Bible believing Baptist church she learned God’s truth and it changed her life. I will always remember Mrs. Carmichael, who is now with the Lord.

They require prayerfully handling and guidance. Only with careful planning is a shepherd able to make his flock prosper. They need guidance to keep from over-grazing the land. They are such creatures of habit that they always follow the same trails. Well worn trails often erode into ravines, making the land unfit for grazing.

B. Another problem with sheep is that without leadership they will not move. They will stay in the same field as long as there is any grass at all. The field will become so barren that it is little more than a waste land.

Is there any similarity between people and sheep? There are many. We are not always as observant as we need to be. Danger may be lurking around the corner but we often don't see it. Our priority is seeing that our needs and wants are satisfied so we are not as observant as we need to be. We are also creatures of habit. Without proper leadership we will often fall back into the sin of yesterday.

Are you a creature of habit? Are there sins in your life that you keep repeating again and again? Have you tired to get free from them only to find that you fall in the same sin again? We need the direction that only the Great Shepherd can give. We need Him to give us daily guidance.

C. "for his name's sake"-Why does the Great

Shepherd give us the guidance that we need in life? He does so for the His own sake; for the glory of His own name. The Lord doesn't give us guidance because we deserve it but rather because it is His nature to give us the things we need most in life.

CONCLUSION: Are you at the crossroads? Have you come to a place in your life where you are trying to discern the Lord's will for your life? Ten thousand voices try to get you to turn one way and then another. Can you find the path that is right for you? Can you get the direction that you need for your life? Yes, you can. That direction comes from the Lord Himself. If we seek His help, He will put our feet under us so that we are able to stand. He will then give us the guidance so that we know how to walk in a way that brings honor to Him.

The metaphor of believers being compared to sheep has a flaw. Sheep are creature of instinct. They can only act as their instinct allows. But believers are different because they have a will, intelligence, and can change their situation. The struggling believer can be restored....meaning to return to faithfulness and living by God’s will. His only imparement is his lack of trust and determination to serve and obey the Lord.

Are you following the Lord's will for your life? Have you given Him first place in your heart? Will you tell Him that you will follow Him wherever He leads?

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