INTRO: What are the basic needs of life? What are those things that you need to sustain life? We may refer to things like jobs, cars, houses, and the like as the things that we really need in life. But in reality we need much less. We know that we need shelter and we need a certain amount of rest. But there are some other needs that are even more basic. We have a need for food and water. Without something to eat and drink, we cannot survive very long.

          Our Lord has determined to give us the things that we need. Philippians 4:19 says, "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." But as we quote this verse, we should be reminded that the supply that comes from our Lord gives in the context of verse 19 is that the Philippians were being faith in suppling Paul’s needs and that of other churches. Spiritual reward is what spurs men to serving the Lord and holds them to the task.

          This verse is not a blanket promise to supply a believer’s needs apart from their faithfulness to the Lord. God cannot bless those who are unfaithful in their assembling themselves together in the Lord’s assembly. Nor can He bless those that do not trust Him in their finances and giving, of being thankful, and living seeking His will in their lives.

          In verse 5, the Psalmist says that he can depend on the Great Shepherd to supply the food and water that is necessary for life.

          The great shepherd supplies our needs

          The great shepherd provides relief from life's annoyances

          The great shepherd blesses us beyond our expectations

          The great shepherd supplies our needs

          We remember from the previous verse that the shepherd would lead his sheep through the deep valleys to the mountains on the other side in search of suitable pastures for the summer.

          The best pastures for sheep in this country and in many parts of the world are the high flat mountain pastures. You have heard the expression "tablelands" which refers to these pastures. In some places, this is referred to as a plateau.

          In the West, the Spanish word "mesa" which means "tables" is used to identify the high flat land. ( A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, Phillip Keller, p. 105.)

          How do we know that the Lord has the ability to supply the food that is necessary? We can read in the Scripture about the times he supplied food and drink.

          There are two separate occasions in the Bible where Jesus took a small amount of food and multiplied it to feed a multitude. There were 5,000 on one occasion and 4,000 on the other occasion. Jesus is in the business of meeting needs. He is the source of supply.

          This verse is not a promise that He will feed us even if we are too lazy to work. But He will do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

          "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread" (Psalms 37:25).

1. He went to the cross and suffered and died for you sins. He has provided the means of salvation through His free offer of grace to all who will accept it.

2. He indwells the true believer with the Holy Spirit who guides, brings conviction, and supplies the strength to live our lives in His will.

          Do you understand that you need more than physical strength or determination. You need the spirit strength of the Lord. No one accomplishes much without the spiritual determination to go forward. Spiritual motivation is bases on faith and trust.

3. Our spiritual motivation comes from God’s word and His promises in the Bible. We are taught in God’s word how we should live and God’s prinicples of life. If we follow them we reap the blessing of God. If we reject or ignore them we are on our own and we fail.

4. God has given the believer an assembly of other believers where we gather to fellowship, be taught God’s word, learn to be God’s witnesses, learn to be able to teach others and minister to them. Most important we gather to pray and to worship the Lord and give thanksgiving to Him and glory. Oh, what the unfaithful miss and what a lost they and others lose because of their faithfulness.

5. God has given you a Pastor, an undershepherd who deeply cares for you and your relationship with the Lord. He seeks to teach you God’s prinicples so you can live a godly and satisfying live. Yet, so many do not avail themselves of the pastor’s ministy God has sent you. Your pastor preaches or teaches three times on Sunday. Yet, many miss the service or chose to come only once. Your assistent pastor prepares and teaches on Wednesday evening yet less that a quarter of the church attends.

          God without question wants us to follow him and He seeks to give us His blessing....but we must be willing to accept them?

          We always turn to the One that has an inexhaustible supply. We are assured that God will ". . . preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:"

          I have fond memories of my father and mother preparing for us children. Dad worked hard and long hours and we never lack anything we needed. We had little extra, but he gave us the necessities of life. My mother, keep the house, kept our clothes clean, and mended, and prepared the food. We ate three meals a day and we always had bisquicks plenty of good food. There was no question they my mom and dad loved us and prepared a proper and adequate table for us. As poor as we were, we never saw bill collecters at our house.

          Just as physical food is necessary for our physical health, spiritual food is necessary for our spiritual health. When we do not partake of the "Bread of Life" and the "Water of Life" we will suffer spiritually.

          In John 6:48, Jesus said, "I am that bread of life." Revelation 22 tells us of the Water of Life that flows from the throne of life. Is there any doubt the Scripture is speaking of Jesus?

          "And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb." (Revelation 22:1)

          He provides for us now and will in eternity.

          Remember the words that He spoke to the woman at the well? John 4:14 says, "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."

          In the very presence of those enemies, the shepherd leads his sheep and stays with them to protect them as he promised. In the same way, our Lord leads us to the sustenance that we need. His presence give us the comfort and assuance of safety.

          Along the way there are problems. But we have the peace of knowing the Lord is walking there with us and that He has been there ahead of us. He has promised to protect us and to care for us.

          Read John 17:1-26....the Lord’s prayer for us.

          Jesus said, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

          "For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ" (Philippians 3:18)

          There are believers who try to make Satan out to be less than a cunning adversary. They visualize him as a bumbling fool that has no power and ability in this world and no sway in the lives of Christians. But we must remember that he is a worthy adversary. He is described In Ephesians 2:2 as, "the prince of the power of the air." 2 Corinthians 4:4 calls him, "the god of this world." He has power to tempt and the ability to bring pain and devastation into our lives. But we also remember that Christ has already won the victory and someday will confine Satan to the pits of hell for eternity.

          ". . . thou anointest my head with oil" Sheep are bothered all summer long by insects of all descriptions. Flies, mosquitos and other flying insects swarm around the sheep and get into their eyes, nose and ears. They bite the sheep on unprotected skin and burrow through their wool to get to the skin on their neck and head.

ILLUS: Where we live we there many sheep, cattle and horses. I am sure you have watched a cow or horse rubbing against a fence or barn to try and get relief from insects. They are tormented by even the tiniest of these winged creatures.

          Sheep will also rub against any object to get relief from biting insects. They will rub against rocks, trees or thrash through thick underbrush to try and get relief from their insect tormentors. Some sheep have even died in the process of trying to relieve their agony by beating their heads against objects.

          Since sheep are somewhat timid and are naturally fearful, swarms of insects can so disrupt their lives that they will not eat. Their health will fail and some sheep die as a direct result of insects. The entire flock can get worked into a frenzy because of the presence of flies.

          But the shepherd can counter the devastating effects of flying insects by seeing that the sheep get his attention when they are in need. He soothes them by applying oil to their heads. For sheep that have sores from insect bites, the shepherd's touch brings immediate relief. But for those sheep that are anxious because swarming insects are moving in on the flock, the oil that the shepherd applies acts as a repellant. His touch on their heads is a reassurance to them that they need not worry about flying pests.

          Do you suffer from irritations in life? Do certain people irritate you? I enjoy the hymn "There is a balm in Gilead." Jeremiah 46:11 says to go to Gilead and take the balm. Balm is the medicine taken from balsam. It has great healing properties. God used it as an illustration to Israel to seek shelter and help from God’s wrath that would be poured on the unbelieving nations.

ILLUS: But as irritating as people and things can be, we have the assurance from God's Word that He will provide relief from the irritations of life. Just as the shepherd comforts his sheep, the Lord is a comfort to us in our times of need. When He walked the earth with His disciples, His presence with them was a continual source of encouragement and comfort. But as He was facing death, there was concern on the part of many people because they felt that they would loose the protection of the Great Shepherd. Jesus told them that He would not leave them without a comforter. In John 14:16, Jesus said, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever."