Key Idea: God’s show his protection and strength — not by removing opposition, but by sustaining us and asserting His presence and authority in the midst of it.
The Shepherds Care
“Your and your , they me. You prepare a before me in the presence of my .” – Psalm 23:4-5
Comfort does not come from ; it comes from .
The Shepherd’s is greater than the .
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Our Refuge
“Lord, my and my , my in time of distress.” – Jeremiah 16:19
Jehovah – The Lord my .
The strongest in the moment is not the , it is .
God does not promise that every will . He promises that His will be .
God
Be my refuge here.
Help me trust that You are stronger
than what is pushing against me.
Amen
The picture David gives us is not one of ; it is one of .
The Shepherd is for this.
The Lord is my refuge.
I am not unprotected.
I am not facing this alone.
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3 Takeaways
God’s comfort is not ; it is and .
God does not when opposition comes; He within it.
Jehovah is the we lean on when the doesn’t go away.
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5 Questions
Where do you feel the most pressure or opposition in your life right now? As you name that place, what does it stir in you—fear, frustration, weariness, or something else?
What do you tend to ask God for when you feel threatened or overwhelmed? Do you usually ask Him to remove the situation, or have you ever asked Him to be your refuge within it?
Which image speaks to you more right now: the rod, the staff, or the table? What does that image reveal about what you most need from God in this season?
What would it look like to trust God as your refuge without denying the reality of the struggle you’re in? How might that kind of trust change the way you respond this week?
How might Psalm 23 reshape the way you talk to God when opposition doesn’t go away? What words, prayers, or truths from this psalm could become anchors for you?
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Key Idea: God does not promise to remove every dark place, but He promises to remain present within them.
The Valley
“Even though I walk through the valley…” – Psalm 23:4
Psalm 23 doesn’t promise us . It offers us something . .
David assumes that are part of the .
The valley is not the of his story; it is something he walks .
David doesn’t say he’s in the valley. He just it.
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Fear In The Valley
“ will no evil, for are with ” – Psalm 23:4
may still exist, but it no longer has the .
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God In The Valley
And the name of the city from that time on will be: . – Ezekiel 48:35
Jehovah – “The Lord is there.”
God chooses to be known not only by what He , but by He is.
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When We Are In The Valley
One of the hardest parts of the valley is the that comes with it: Where is ?
does not deny . gives us something to stand on when is present.
God,
You are with me.
Help me believe that You are.
Amen.
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3 Takeaways
1. God does not us in valleys; He with us it.
2. loses its when we remember we are not .
3. Jehovah promises to remain , even in .
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5 Questions
1. What does the phrase “darkest valley” bring to mind for you right now? Where do you feel the weight, uncertainty, or fear most clearly?
2. How does it change the way you hear Psalm 23 to realize that David assumes valleys are part of the journey, not interruptions? What expectations about faith might that challenge?
3. David shifts from speaking about God to speaking directly to God in the valley. What would it look like for you to speak more honestly to God in your current season?
4. When fear feels strongest, what are you usually longing for—answers, certainty, relief, or presence? How might trusting God as Jehovah Shammah reshape that longing?
5. What might a simple prayer of trust sound like for you right now? How could the words “You are with me” become part of your prayer life this week?
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Big Idea: God leads us rightly not because we are good, but because He is faithful to His own name.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I lack .” – Jehovah
“He me lie down… He restores my soul.” – Jehovah
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More Than An Answer
“He guides me along the right paths…” – Psalm 23:3b
One of the biggest questions we have in life: Am I the right ?
Before David talks about where he’s , he reminds us who is him.
God’s is less about a and more about a .
God is more committed to His than at a .
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More Than A Reward
“He guides me along the right paths for His .” – Psalm 23:3b
The Shepherd’s commitment to lead me well is rooted in , not in how well .
“The Lord our Righteousness.” – Jehovah (Jeremiah 23:5-6)
David’s confidence doesn’t rest in his own . It rests in the Shepherd whose does not .
Guidance does not rest on your ; it rests on God’s .
God,
I trust You to lead me.
Shape who I’m becoming.
Guide my steps
Even when I don’t see the whole path.
Amen
The promise of Psalm 23 is not that we will never ; it’s that we are never .
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3 Takeaways
1. God’s shapes who you are , not just the you .
2. God leads us because of , not because of how well we .
3. Jehovah keeps leading even when we .
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5 Questions
Where in your life do you currently feel the weight of needing to “get it right”? How has that pressure shaped the way you pray, decide, or listen for God’s guidance?
What does it stir in you to hear that God guides “for His name’s sake,” not based on your performance? Is that comforting, challenging, or difficult to trust?
When you think about God’s guidance, do you tend to focus more on individual decisions or on the kind of person you are becoming? How does Psalm 23 gently reframe that focus?
Where might fear of failure be keeping you from trusting God to keep leading you? What would it look like to bring that fear honestly before Him this week?
How does knowing God as Jehovah Tsidkenu—the Lord our Righteousness—change the way you see your past missteps or uncertain future? How might this name invite you to walk forward with greater trust?
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Key Idea: The Shepherd brings peace not by removing every threat, but by being present with His people.
Led Into Rest
Psalm 23 isn’t just telling us what life with God . It to us who God has Himself to be.
“He me lie down in pastures, He me beside waters, He my soul.” – Psalm 23:2-3a
This Shepherd is to more than . He’s to .
Rest isn’t something we . It’s something we are .
God is not only in . He is in .
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Peace Revealed in the Middle of Fear
The Story of “The Lord is with you, .” – Judges 6:12
“! Do not be .” – Judges 6:23
“The Lord is .” – . – Judges 6:24
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Living with the Shepherd’s Peace
Gideon received because God was .
David because he his Shepherd.
Psalm 23 doesn’t invite us to . It invites us to be within it.
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3 Takeaways
comes from , not the absence of .
is something the us into.
meets us in , not it fades.
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5 Questions
1. When you think about peace, what do you usually imagine? How is that different from the kind of peace described in Psalm 23 and the story of Gideon?
2. What makes it difficult for you to rest—both physically and internally? What fears, responsibilities, or pressures tend to keep you “on edge”?
3. Where might God be inviting you to pause rather than push this week? What would it look like to allow the Shepherd to lead you into rest instead of trying to manage everything yourself?
4. In what area of your life do you need to trust God’s presence rather than waiting for circumstances to change? How does knowing God as Jehovah Shalom shape that trust?
5. What might it look like to live with Psalm 23 this week? How could returning to its words help reshape your sense of peace, trust, or attentiveness to God?
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Key Idea: Psalm 23 invites us to trust God—not as a last resort—but as a shepherd who is present, attentive, and faithful.
The Shepherd
is the author of this psalm.
The Lord is my …
“The Lord is my , I lack .” – Psalm 23:1
Before David was a , he was a .
The Provider
…I lack .
This isn’t a claim about . It’s a confession of .
A shepherd can’t care from a ; a shepherd has to be .
God is not portrayed here as a .
God doesn’t the Shepherd when things go bad. He is the Shepherd they do.
The Shepherd’s Provision
Each of these names begins the same way, with the same word: .
In , God calls to trust Him.
Abraham names that place: “The will .” – . – Genesis 22:14
Trust in the Gap
The hardest part of trusting God isn’t believing that He provide. It’s trusting that He .
The invitation of this psalm is not to deny our but to locate our .
Pray from a place of :
God,
You see what I need.
You know what’s ahead of me.
You have been faithful before — and I trust You again.
Amen
Trusting Jehovah Jireh is less about and more about .
3 Takeaways
God is not —He is a Shepherd who stays .
“I lack nothing” is a confession of , not a promise of .
The Jehovah Jireh who has before is still worthy of your today.
5 Takeaways
1. When you hear the words “The Lord is my shepherd,” what images or assumptions immediately come to mind? How might familiarity with Psalm 23 make it easier—or harder—to really hear what David is saying?
2. Where do you currently feel the “gap” between what you have and what you need? What emotions tend to surface for you in that space—anxiety, fear, frustration, trust?
3. David says, “I lack nothing,” not because life was easy, but because God was faithful. What would it look like for you to say those words as a confession of trust rather than a statement of comfort?
4. Which is harder for you right now: believing that God can provide, or trusting that He will? Why do you think that is?
5. How does seeing God as Jehovah Jireh—the Lord who provides in moments of need—shape the way you approach the week ahead? Is there a place where God might be inviting you to trust Him again?
Closing Prayer
God,
You are our Shepherd and our Provider.
Help us trust You—not just in the outcomes, but in the journey.
Teach us to anchor our lives in who You have shown Yourself to be.
Amen.
1. God is you, not you – Romans 8:31-32
2. God draws to you in your . – Psalm 34:18
3. God is with your . – Psalm 103:13-14
4. God does not from you when you . – Romans 8:38-39
5. God in you as His . – Zephaniah 3:17
6. God will what He in you. – Philippians 1:6
5 Questions
1. As you step into this new year, where do you feel pressure to perform or prove yourself? What did you notice in yourself as you heard the reminder that “there’s nothing to prove, fix, or perform”?
2. Which truth about God’s posture toward you was hardest—or easiest—to receive today? What do you think makes that particular truth difficult or comforting for you?
3. How have weakness or failure shaped the way you imagine God looking at you? What does Scripture invite you to reconsider about God’s nearness in those places?
4. What would it look like for you to trust that God is patient with your growth right now—not a future version of you? Where might you need to release comparison or unrealistic expectations?
5. As you come away from this series on identity, what truth do you most need to carry with you into the days ahead? How might that truth shape the way you live, rest, or pray this week?
Our Identity in Christ.
1. as God’s (Romans 8:15–17; Galatians 4:4–7)
2. by God (Romans 5:8; 1 John 3:1)
3. (Ephesians 1:7; 1 John 1:9)
4. A New (2 Corinthians 5:17)
5. (2 Corinthians 5:18-20)
6. (Romans 8:1–2; Galatians 5:1)
7. (1 John 4:4 1 John 5:4–5; Romans 8:35 – 37)
8. with God (Romans 5:10-11)
5 Questions
1. When you think about the question “Who am I?”, what roles, labels, or experiences tend to speak the loudest for you right now? How might those voices be shaping the way you see yourself?
2. Which experiences in your life—past or present—have most influenced the way you understand your identity? Are there any messages you’ve carried that you’re beginning to recognize may not be true?
3. Looking at the list of identities we have “in Christ,” which one stood out to you the most—and why? Was there one that felt encouraging… or one that felt harder to believe?
4. What does it look like for you personally to move from knowing what God says about you to truly believing and living it out? What might be getting in the way of that shift?
5. Is there a practical “marker” that could help you remember your identity in Christ during this season of life? What might God be inviting you to put in place as a reminder of who He says you are?
Key Idea: The light God promised long ago has entered the darkness — quietly, humbly, and powerfully — in Jesus.
Darkness Is Here
Scripture gives us the most honest picture it can: and .
Isaiah was writing roughly years before was born.
“The people walking in have seen a great ; on those living in the land of deep a has dawned.” – Isaiah 9:2
This is a prophecy that finds its fulfillment in .
Light doesn’t just make things . It makes things .
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The Light Is Coming
“For to us a is , to us a is …” – Isaiah 9:6
The light comes as a .
“The will be on his .” – Isaiah 9:6
“Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no .” – Isaiah 9:7
When this child comes, comes with Him.
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The Light Arrives
“In the was the Word…” – John 1:1
When John says “the Word,” he’s talking about .
“In him was life, and that life was the of all mankind. The shines in the , and the has not it.” – John 1:4-5
John is saying: The promise of is no longer . It’s .
“The true light that gives light to was coming into the world.” – John 1:9
“The became and made his dwelling among .” – John 1:14
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Our Response to the Light
The good news is this: has .
Don’t from the .
Step into the .
as people of the .
We don’t the light, we it.
Even acts, done close to , can reflect a lot of .
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3 Takeaways
has come. doesn’t win.
The light isn’t an — it’s a .
Light demands a .
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5 Questions
1. Where do I most feel the darkness Isaiah describes right now? Is it weariness, fear, grief, uncertainty, or something I haven’t named out loud yet?
2. What does it mean for me to believe that “light has come” in this season—not just historically, but personally? How does that truth challenge the way I’ve been thinking or living?
3. Am I treating Jesus more like an idea to admire—or a Person to trust? Where might I be keeping Him at a distance instead of stepping into the light?
4. Is there an area of my life where I’m still hiding instead of letting the light heal? What would it look like to bring that honestly to Jesus this week?
5. Where might God be calling me to reflect His light to someone else? Who is walking in darkness around me, and how can I carry hope, grace, or peace into their life in a simple way?
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2 Samuel 7:8–16, Luke 2:1–20
Key Idea: The promised King didn’t come the way we expected—He came hidden in humility, but His reign is forever.
A Covenant Born
David has this sincere desire: “I want to build God a .”
God responds by saying, “David, I’m going to build a for .”
Key phrase: “your throne will be established .” – 2 Samuel 7:13, 2 Samuel 7:16
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A Covenant Made
A covenant is a .
God says, “I’m the One who you.”
God promises a kingdom through David’s .
God promises an throne.
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A Covenant Fulfilled
“So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of , because he belonged to the and of .” – Luke 2:4
“But you, Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” – Micah 5:2
“Today in the town of a has been born to you; he is the , the .” – Luke 2:11
This baby is the of 2 Samuel 7. This is the .
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A Covenant Invitation
Stop looking for a kind of King.
Let Him
His doesn’t come like the world’s .
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3 Takeaways
God keeps His —.
The King in the is the King .
Don’t just Him— to Him.
5 Questions
1. Where do I most need to remember this Advent: “God keeps His promises—forever”? What promise of God do you need to anchor to when your circumstances feel uncertain?
2. What kind of “king” am I tempted to look for instead of Jesus? A king who fixes circumstances quickly, removes pressure, or makes life easy—what does your heart keep asking for?
3. Is Jesus only someone I admire… or the One I actually obey? Where is it easiest for you to celebrate Jesus, but hardest for you to surrender to Him?
4. What would it look like for Jesus to reign over one specific area of my life this week? (Anxiety, spending, relationships, forgiveness, habits, priorities, time, words—choose one.)
5. How can I practice the way His kingdom comes: humility, truth, mercy, and peace? What is one concrete action you can take in the next 48 hours that reflects His reign?
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Genesis 12:1-3; Matthew 1:1, Luke 2:10
Key Idea: What looked like one man’s call was actually the beginning of salvation for all people through Abraham’s offspring—Jesus.
Blessed to Be a Blessing
When you expect God to step , God steps .
God calls Abram to Him.
God promises .
God moves .
God’s blessing is meant to move .
This blessing doesn’t with Abram. This blessing Abram.
The Blessing Has a Name
“This is the genealogy of the Messiah the son of , the son of ” – Matthew 1:1
didn’t drop into the story .
That blessing has a name – !
are the that God keeps His word across .
A Blessing To All
“I bring you good news of great joy that will be for the people.” – Luke 2:10
This is the blessing moving .
The greatest blessing God ever promised is a — .
A Blessing To You
Receive the .
Live like the blessing is meant to .
“Lord, who in my life needs Your blessing?” Who needs encouragement? Who needs help? Who needs forgiveness? Who needs a calm, prayerful presence instead of more noise? God, help me to see them. Help me to bring Your blessing to the world.”
3 Takeaways
God’s plan moves through .
The Blessing has a name: .
God’s blessing is meant to move .
5 Questions
What would it look like for me to trust God’s promise the way Abraham did—believing that God is the One who blesses and leads? Where do you need to stop striving to “make it happen” and start responding in faith?
How do I currently define “blessing”—and does it match the Bible’s definition? Do you tend to equate blessing with ease or comfort? How would it change your outlook to see blessing as God’s presence, faithfulness, salvation, and purpose?
Where has God’s blessing stopped with me instead of moving outward through me? Who might God be inviting you to bless this week with encouragement, generosity, forgiveness, or a calm, prayerful presence?
Have I received the Blessing—Jesus—by faith, or am I still trying to earn my way in? What would it look like for you to come to Jesus honestly this Advent season—trusting His grace instead of your performance?
Who is God inviting me to bless this week—and what would it look like for blessing to move outward through me? Who needs encouragement, help, forgiveness, or calm presence? What is one concrete action you can take in the next 48 hours?