Open the Eyes of My Heart

1
Being Content in
a Discontent World!
Psalm 23
2
All star third baseman for the Kansas City Royals
signed a lifetime contract in 1984 for 1.5
million a year
George Brett
3
Our age is an age of discontentment. Everyone
wants more not just professional athletes.
Little ones want more attention, toys and TV
time. Teenagers want more freedom and
popularity. Adults want more money and leisure
time
4
Without hesitation a man dove in, found the
boy, brought him to shore and revived him
5
Hebrews 135-6
Let your character be free from the love of
money, being content with what you have for He
Himself has said, I will never desert you, nor
will I ever forsake you, so that we confidently
say, The Lord is my helper, I will not be
afraid. What shall man do to me?
6
Purpose
to learn to be content in a discontent world
7
Obviously the key to understanding this lies in
our realizing and trusting in the fact that the
Good Shepherd cares for you and me
8
I The Good Shepherd Provides Every Need (vv 2-3)
9
In this book, Keller gives eight points behind
the Lord using sheep to describe us and Jesus
being called the Good Shepherd
10
Isaiah 536
All we like sheep have gone astray
11
I The Good Shepherd Provides Every Need (vv 2-3)
A. He Provides Food (v 2a)
B. He Provides Water (v 2b)
12
Psalm 326-7
Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You
in a time when You may be found surely in a
flood of great waters they will not reach Him.
You are my hiding place You preserve me from
trouble You surround me with the songs of
deliverance.
13
I The Good Shepherd Provides Every Need (vv 2-3)
A. He Provides Food (v 2a)
B. He Provides Water (v 2b)
C. He Provides Restoration (v 3a)
D. He Provides Direction (v 3b)
14
What way should I go? Where do you want to
go? I dont know. If you dont know where you
are going then one road is just as good as
another.
15
II The Good Shepherd Protects in Death (vv 2-3)
A. What Fear of Death Does
16
Hebrews 215
and might deliver those who through fear of
death were subject to slavery all their lives.
17
II The Good Shepherd Protects in Death (vv 2-3)
A. What Fear of Death Does
B. Death is Our Last Enemy
18
Im going to be a lion tamer with lots of fierce
lions. Ill walk into that cage and theyll roar
19
III The Good Shepherd Promises Eternal Life (vv
2-3)
A. An Anointment with Promise
20
Remember when Samuel anointed David? David was
young and there was quite a span of time between
his being anointed and his becoming actual King
21
III The Good Shepherd Promises Eternal Life (vv
2-3)
A. An Anointment with Promise
B. A Blessed Assurance
22
Follow literally means to pursue. In other
words, God actively pursues us to be assured of
eternal life!
23
Like the shepherd searching for the lost sheep,
God pursues you and me with His mercy, so we will
be exempt from punishment on the Judgment Day.
24
Two marker stones in England illustrate this. One
reads She died for want of things along side
this stone another reads He died trying to
give them to her
25
Conclusion and Summary
The Good Shepherd is calling. IF we follow Him in
life IF we follow Him in death IF we receive
His grace and mercy, eternal life is PROMISED.
What more could you possibly want?! All of which
is made possible because the Good Shepherd Cares!