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The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack.
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He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters.
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3 [/SUP]He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him—not for my earning it, but] for His name’s sake.
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4 [/SUP]Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me.
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5 [/SUP]You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with [SUP][a][/SUP]oil; my [brimming] cup runs over.
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6 [/SUP]Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place.
I notice more and more that Jesus has given us these promises to live by today. Not for when we get to the sweet by and by but these promises are for us to remember and have in the sour here and now. We will not need to remember the promises of His provision when we get to heaven because we will be walking on streets of gold without having to remember it.
Paul knew he had finished his course and run the race. He was ready to go be with the Lord. 2 Tim.4:7
[SUP]5 [/SUP]But be thou sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil thy ministry. [SUP]6 [/SUP]For I am already being [SUP][
a][/SUP]offered, and the time of my departure is come. [SUP]7 [/SUP]I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith: [SUP]8 [/SUP]henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day; and not to me only, but also to all them that have loved his appearing.
[SUP]9 [/SUP]Give diligence to come shortly unto me: [SUP]10 [/SUP]for Demas forsook me, having loved this present [SUP][
b][/SUP]world, and went to Thessalonica; Crescens to [SUP][
c][/SUP]Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.
The Bible talks about how he made a choice Hebrews 11:35 talks about some interesting things the saints did according to their faith. Acts tells about many of the amazing things done through the disciples as the truth of the Gospel went forward. I believe many knew about coming things about the walk of faith given by the Holy Spirit before hand about coming tribulations here.
And that many desired to keep going in the faith. I'll post some of the verses for thoughts about how believers have choices throughout the ages concerning a better resurrection. I'm still learning about what a better resurrection means but I'm thinking during such situations God calls certain people for certain jobs here.
[h=1]Hebrews 11:24-40American Standard Version (ASV)[/h] [SUP]24 [/SUP]By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;
[SUP]25 [/SUP]choosing rather to share ill treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
[SUP]26 [/SUP]accounting the reproach of [SUP][
a][/SUP]Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he looked unto the recompense of reward.
[SUP]27 [/SUP]By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
[SUP]28 [/SUP]By faith he [SUP][
b][/SUP]kept the passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.
[SUP]29 [/SUP]By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were swallowed up.
[SUP]30 [/SUP]By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been compassed about for seven days.
[SUP]31 [/SUP]By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them that were disobedient, having received the spies with peace.
[SUP]32 [/SUP]And what shall I more say? for the time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah; of David and Samuel and the prophets:
[SUP]33 [/SUP]who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
[SUP]34 [/SUP]quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, waxed mighty in war, turned to flight armies of aliens.
[SUP]35 [/SUP]Women received their dead by a resurrection: and others were [SUP][
c][/SUP]tortured, not accepting [SUP][
d][/SUP]their deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
[SUP]36 [/SUP]and others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
[SUP]37 [/SUP]they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword: they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated
[SUP]38 [/SUP](of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves, and the holes of the earth.
[SUP]39 [/SUP]And these all, having had witness borne to them through their faith, received not the promise,
[SUP]40 [/SUP]God having [SUP][
e][/SUP]provided some better thing concerning us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
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