I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever

The Lord  is  my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Yea, 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.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
Psalms 23:1‭-‬6 NKJV

Today is my birthday, and I have been blessed with 42 years of life. But these last few years have been abundantly blessed – with a new direction, with a new purpose.

You see, I met a man that I had heard about,  but that I never really knew. I fell into a close relationship with someone that I knew about from afar, but who I hadn’t loved up close and personal. I met a man who touched me and healed me and set my life on fire, and His name is Jesus Christ.

He changed my desires and my direction. He has me looking outward at how I can love and serve others and be a good steward of this life that I’ve surrendered to Him – instead of only inward serving myself. Many people will look at me and only see “another religious person” – and I understand, there are many of those around,  and I was once too blind to know the difference myself.

But I’m no longer rebellious or religious – I’m just in love with my Lord and Savior. I just want my life to be a blessing, to bring honor and glory to His name – not so that it will earn me anything, not so that people might think that I’m a good person – but so that they might realize that He is real.

You see, He isn’t that far away God that I would remember only in times of trouble. He is that loving Spirit that has come and made my house His home. He is changing my life. He is sending me out with His Good News that He loves you.

You don’t have to buy salvation with your silver pieces, but if you cling to them as your own, you will lose what is truly most valuable, and you will receive what you desire most instead.

You don’t have to work for your salvation with charitable gifts and religious practices, but if you remain idle and fruitless in what you call faith, can expect anything but to be cut away and burned with the other dead branches?

You don’t have to be a slave to the law, but if you are a slave to sin, how can you say that you have a permanent place in the Lord’s house and that His Holy Spirit lives in you and is Lord of your life?

The Good News is that He tells us, repent of your sins, believe in your heart,  and confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior of your life, follow Him and do not turn back,  run this race to the end, because He has gone to prepare a place for you good and faithful servants.