the five stages of the pneumatic Christ’s shepherding (sharing from the Crystallization Study of Psalms)

We recently went through the video training on the Crystallization Study of the Psalms, and one of the topics I enjoyed the most so far is message 6 – The Organic Shepherding of the Pneumatic Christ as revealed in Psalm 23. Perhaps Psalms 23 is one of the most popular chapters in the whole Bible. But we believers in Christ need to see Psalm 23 in the context of God’s economy – this chapter is a bridge to bring the Lord back. How? In Psalm 22 Christ is presented as the Redeemer and the Regenerator, in Psalms 23 he is now the Shepherd, and in Psalms 24 He will be the King who will regain the entire earth through the church, His body, the people whom He has redeemed and regenerated and is currently shepherding (organically and inwardly) today. Hallelujah! We just need to let Christ shepherd us and cooperate with Him by shepherding other people. This is Christ’s heavenly ministry. With His shepherding, we drink Him and flow Him to others and thus we could all dwell in the house of God. Through this heavenly ministry we become the expansion of Christ.

This psalm also tells us that Christ’s shepherding of us is in five stages. The first stage is of shepherding us to the pastures and the waters of rest (v. 2). Pasture and waters are for our nourishment, including cherishing and enjoyment. The second stage is the stage of the paths of righteousness (v. 3). The paths of righteousness indicate our walk. After we enjoy Christ, we are filled up with Christ, and we are nourished by Christ, we then walk on the paths of righteousness. The third stage is the valley of the shadow of death (v. 4). The valley, the shadow, and death are not pleasant. Christ’s shepherding leads us through the valley of the shadow of death. The fourth stage is the battlefield (v. 5), where we are fighting against the adversaries. At the battlefield a table, a feast, is spread for us. Finally, the last stage is to dwell in the house of God all the days of our life (v. 6). May we all experience these stages of the shepherding of the All-inclusive Christ.

Under the organic shepherding of the pneumatic Christ, “surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of Jehovah for the length of my days” (v. 6). Hallelujah for the shepherding Christ, and Hallelujah for the reigning Christ! Hallelujah for our Christ being our Shepherd today and our King in the future! [guest post, sharing by sister Rona B. from her enjoyment of the recent video-training on the Psalms(Crystallization Study) – become a fan on facebook for more updates. Picture credit: Free Christian Wallpapers]