OUR GREAT SHEPHERD

Table of Contents

1. GOD IS ALWAYS SPEAKING
2. THE INFLUENCE OF RELIGIOUS TEACHING
3. THE HOLY SPIRIT AS GUIDE AND TEACHER
4. A HEALING EXPERIENCE IN 1991
5. THE WEDDING RING AND LEARNING TO LISTEN
6. REMEMBERING GOD’S MIRACULOUS WORKS
7. THE REVELATION OF PSALM 23
8. “THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD”
9. THE GREAT SHEPHERD AS TEACHER, PROTECTOR, AND PROVIDER
10. LIVING AND DWELLING IN REST
11. RESTORATION, RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND PEACE
12. WALKING THROUGH THE VALLEY
13. THE TABLE PREPARED IN THE PRESENCE OF ENEMIES
14. GOODNESS, MERCY, AND DWELLING IN GOD’S PRESENCE
15. WHAT WE LEARN FROM PSALM 23
16. CLOSING PRAYER

GOD IS ALWAYS SPEAKING

Leonard begins by explaining that many people ask him how he hears God speak. Some people say they have never heard God speak and believe that God does not speak to them. Leonard explains that God does speak to us and is always speaking. The difficulty is that people may not recognize His voice, may not understand what they are hearing, or may not realize they are sensing God speaking to them.

He reflects on the first 35 years of his walk with Christ and describes those years as challenging, with many ups and downs. He explains that part of the difficulty came from the spiritual environment in which he had been taught.

Leonard says that God was speaking to him even during those years, but his spiritual “receptors” were becoming plugged. He describes how what he was hearing and being taught affected his ability to recognize and receive what God was saying.

He emphasizes that God had not stopped speaking. Rather, he had difficulty hearing and responding because of what had been placed before his eyes and ears. The message therefore begins with a foundational point: God is speaking, and believers need to learn to recognize His voice.

THE INFLUENCE OF RELIGIOUS TEACHING

Leonard recalls being repeatedly taught that he was simply a sinner who was saved by grace and that he needed to continually repent and make his life right before God.

He then remembers the contrast between what he had been taught and the truth he saw in John 3:16.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Leonard emphasizes that God loved the world and loved each person. He stresses that God sent His Son into the world to save rather than condemn. He also recalls being taught about being “hot” or “cold” for the Lord and not being lukewarm. 

Revelation 3:16 “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”

Leonard explains that the teaching he received focused heavily on becoming more dedicated, serving, worshipping, and getting “on fire” for the Lord.

Looking back, he recognizes that God was still speaking to him throughout this period. However, because of the spiritual environment he was in, his ability to hear and respond was affected. He describes the experience as having his spiritual ears plugged. God was speaking, but Leonard was not always able to recognize or follow what God was saying.

THE HOLY SPIRIT AS GUIDE AND TEACHER

Leonard then explains that Jesus promised the coming of the Holy Spirit. He teaches that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one and that the Holy Spirit has been given to guide believers. He explains that the Holy Spirit teaches, leads, guides, and reveals truth.

He refers to Jesus’ promise concerning the Comforter.

John 14:16 “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.”

He also points to the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit.

John 14:26 “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

Leonard further refers to the Spirit testifying about Jesus.

John 15:26 “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.”

He also refers to the Spirit guiding believers into truth.

John 16:13 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”

Leonard explains that the Holy Spirit is always with believers and continues speaking. The responsibility is to become ready to receive what He is saying.

He describes this preparation as “cleaning our gardens out” and getting rid of the things that have been allowed to remain in the soul. In his teaching, the condition of the inner life affects how clearly a person receives what God is saying. He acknowledges that God had always been speaking to him, but there were times when he listened and yet failed to remain on the path God was showing him.

A HEALING EXPERIENCE IN 1991

Leonard then shares a personal experience from 1991, when his wife gave birth to their third child, their daughter Allison.

After the birth, his wife experienced a prolonged hemorrhaging problem. The bleeding continued for weeks, and doctors were unable to stop it or provide the help they needed.

One day, while his wife was downstairs preparing food, Leonard was upstairs and opened the Bible. He found himself reading the account of the woman who had suffered from an issue of blood.

The passage was Mark 5, where the woman had suffered for twelve years and had gone to physicians without being healed.

Mark 5:25 “And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,”

Mark 5:26 “And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,”

Mark 5:27 “When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.”

Mark 5:28 “For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.”

Mark 5:29 “And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.”

Mark 5:30 “And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?”

Mark 5:31 “And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?”

Mark 5:32 “And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.”

Mark 5:33 “But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell before him, and told him all the truth.”

Mark 5:34 “And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.”

While Leonard was reading this account, he says the Holy Spirit spoke to him and told him to go downstairs, lay his hand on his wife, and pray for the hemorrhaging to stop.

Leonard closed the Bible, went downstairs, did what he believed God had instructed him to do, and his wife was instantly healed. He explains that one would think such an experience would have been enough to establish his confidence in hearing God's voice and acting in faith. He describes the pattern simply: hear His voice, allow faith to rise, and act in faith.

Yet Leonard admits that he did not continue consistently in what he had experienced. He recognized that God had spoken to him and revealed something to him that was contrary to some of what he had previously been taught.

THE WEDDING RING AND LEARNING TO LISTEN

Leonard then shares another experience that occurred during a trip to Hawaii that he and Lori had received as a free, all-expenses-paid trip. He describes the beauty of Hawaii, including floating in Waikiki Beach and seeing Diamond Head.

While floating on a raft, Leonard got too close to a pier and scraped his left arm against it. His fingers had shrunk from being in the water, and his wedding ring slipped off his finger and fell into the ocean. He was in approximately three feet of water and became distressed because the ring was extremely meaningful to him and even more meaningful to his wife. He began searching through the sand, repeatedly asking the Lord to help him find the ring. 

Nothing happened.

Eventually, Leonard began walking back toward shore. He had already walked approximately eight to ten yards from where the ring had fallen. Before leaving the water, something inside him told him to put his hand down. When he did, he felt the tide moving the sand. He put his hand down in a completely different location from where the ring had originally fallen.

The ring was there.

Leonard describes this as another miraculous event in which God gave him his wedding ring back. He says one would think that such an experience would have been enough to convince him of the miraculous and supernatural nature of God.

Yet he admits that he still struggled to believe.

He connects this struggle to what he had been allowing into his ears and eyes. He refers to a previous teaching on “30, 60, and 100 fold,” emphasizing the importance of keeping the soul and mind clean. He explains that it took more years for him to understand what God was showing him. Even now, he says he has not understood it one hundred percent, but the revelation and illumination have continued to grow. The important realization is that God does speak and God does work.

REMEMBERING GOD’S MIRACULOUS WORKS

Leonard encourages listeners to think back to miraculous moments they may have forgotten. He asks them to remember those moments and recognize that God does speak.

According to the teaching, when God speaks, faith accompanies His word. That is when believers walk in agreement, exercise authority, believe, and act upon what they have received.

Leonard emphasizes that God is good and loving and that He is continually speaking to His people. This becomes the bridge into the central message of the sermon: the goodness of God revealed through Psalm 23.

THE REVELATION OF PSALM 23

Leonard explains that the message came to him at approximately 3:00 in the morning, five years earlier, around the time he was diagnosed with cancer. He says that God “totally rewrote” Psalm 23 for him. Before sharing the rewritten version, Leonard explains why he believed God wanted him to share it.

During the night, from midnight until approximately 5:00 in the morning, he repeatedly found himself quoting Psalm 23.

Then Lori gave him the songs for the Sunday service, and Psalm 23 was included. Lori also told him that if the children and Kingdom Kids were present, she would be teaching them about Psalm 23.

These events convinced Leonard that he needed to share the message.

He explains that he looked up the Hebrew meanings of the words and found that the meanings were consistent with what he believed God was showing him. He notes that different Bible translations use different words, and he describes the version given to him as bringing together meanings from various translations into one expanded understanding of the Psalm. He then begins explaining Psalm 23 verse by verse.

“THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD”

The foundation is Psalm 23:1.

Psalm 23:1 “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

Leonard explains that when the words “shepherd” and “want” are examined closely, their meanings connect with the revelation he received.

For him, “The Lord is my shepherd” means that the Lord is his guide.

The Lord is the One who gives direction, shows him where to go, takes him by the hand, leads him, carries him, and brings him to the place where he is supposed to be.

At the same time, the Shepherd takes him away from places where he should not be.

The Lord is therefore not merely a guide but also a ruler.

Leonard explains that under the Lord’s rulership, believers are caused to reign with Him in righteousness and holiness.

He connects this teaching to Romans 5:17.

Romans 5:17  “For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.”

The Shepherd is also the teacher. Leonard says the Lord teaches believers grace and teaches them the truth about Him and about grace.

THE GREAT SHEPHERD AS TEACHER, PROTECTOR, AND PROVIDER

Leonard and Lori had been talking about Romans 1:16-17 that morning.

Romans 1:16  “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

Romans 1:17  “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”

Leonard explains that the gospel of Christ is the message of Jesus Christ—His death, burial, and resurrection. He describes believers as having died with Christ and being raised with Him to newness of life. The gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.

Leonard expands the meaning of salvation to include healing, wholeness, wellness, provision, protection, forgiveness, and redemption.

He explains that the emphasis should not be on trying to believe for every individual benefit separately. Instead, the believer’s faith should be fixed on Jesus Christ.

Once people believe in Christ, the Anointed One and His anointing, God is free to work His power of salvation in their lives. Leonard describes healing, wholeness, protection, and other benefits as fruits or results of believing in Christ.

He then refers to Hebrews 12:2.

Hebrews 12:2  “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

The repeated emphasis is Jesus.

Believe in Jesus.

Look to Jesus.

Fix your faith on Jesus.

Leonard explains that believers can become focused on the wrong things when their attention should be fixed on Christ.

He then returns to the picture of the Shepherd as protector.

He recalls David speaking to King Saul about fighting Goliath. David remembered how God had enabled him to overcome a lion and a bear while protecting his sheep.

The Shepherd therefore protects His people.

The Shepherd is also the provider.

Because the Lord is guide, ruler, teacher, protector, and provider, Leonard declares that he will never fail and will never be in want.

He emphasizes that his value before God does not become less.

He connects this to the confidence expressed in Psalm 23:1: “I shall not want.”

LIVING AND DWELLING IN REST

Leonard moves to Psalm 23:2.

Psalm 23:2  “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.”

He explains that the Lord causes His people to lie down and dwell in rest. According to Leonard, this place of rest is where miracles and supernatural works take place. He recalls the miracle in which Jesus fed the five thousand. Jesus had the people recline and rest in the grass.

Leonard explains that grass has been a sign of salvation.

He then gives his expanded understanding of Psalm 23:2: the Shepherd causes him to live and dwell in rest, in immortality and newness of life.

The Shepherd also brings him to the watering place of the regeneration of God’s Word, where transformation takes place, and he is transformed into his true identity.

Leonard illustrates this with an example from The Lion King.

His son-in-law and grandson had visited a couple of weeks earlier, and they watched the movie together. He recalls the scene in which Simba looks into a reflecting pool and sees his father, Mufasa. As Simba sees his father, he recognizes something about his own identity.

Leonard uses this as a picture of spiritual transformation.

The Lord brings believers to a place of regeneration and transformation, where they discover their true identity through what they see reflected in Him.

He connects this to 2 Corinthians 3:18.

2 Corinthians 3:18  “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

The point is that believers are transformed as they behold the glory of the Lord.

RESTORATION, RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND PEACE

Leonard then moves to the next part of his expanded understanding of Psalm 23.

He says:

“He restores me to my intended glory and position.”

The Shepherd brings him to an accepted position of righteousness where he is at complete peace with God.

He connects this to Romans 4:25.

Romans 4:25  “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”

He then connects this to Romans 5:1.

Romans 5:1  “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”

The emphasis is that believers are justified through faith in Jesus Christ and therefore have peace with God.

The Shepherd restores.

The Shepherd leads.

The Shepherd establishes believers in righteousness and peace.

WALKING THROUGH THE VALLEY

Leonard then comes to Psalm 23:4.

Psalm 23:4  “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

He explains that even if he finds himself in a deep and dark place of extreme danger, distress, or even facing death, he will not be afraid.

Why?

Because the Lord is with him.

Leonard describes the powerful support and anointing of God in his life as his great comfort.

The presence of the Shepherd changes the way the believer faces difficult places.

The valley may be dark.

The danger may be real.

But the Shepherd remains present.

Therefore, fear does not have the final word.

THE TABLE PREPARED IN THE PRESENCE OF ENEMIES

Leonard continues with Psalm 23:5.

Psalm 23:5  “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.”

He explains that believers do not need to live in fear of the adversary. The Shepherd has prepared a feasting table fit for a king. The table represents everything needed for strength.

Leonard lists what is found on that table: holiness, righteousness, sanctification, perfection, completeness, empowerment, love, joy, peace, and mercy. The Shepherd’s powerful support is described again as great comfort. The Lord has also filled him with anointing oil.

The picture is not of a small or limited supply. The anointing constantly flows from within.

Leonard connects this with the power of God that raised Christ from the dead.

He teaches that the same power dwells in believers and therefore renews, restores, and revitalizes their mortal souls. The Shepherd provides what His people need, even in the presence of their enemies.

GOODNESS, MERCY, AND DWELLING IN GOD’S PRESENCE

Leonard then refers to the final verse of the traditional Psalm 23.

Psalm 23:6  “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”

He explains his expanded understanding of the final portion as pleasantness, goodness, excellence, and kindness following, chasing, and tracking the believer down until these qualities surround every area of life. He describes remaining, living, dwelling, and abiding forever in the habitation of God’s presence.

The message therefore ends where it began: with the goodness and faithfulness of the Shepherd.

The believer is not abandoned.

The Shepherd continues to lead.

The Shepherd continues to provide.

The Shepherd continues to protect.

The Shepherd continues to restore.

The Shepherd continues to bring His people into His presence.

WHAT WE LEARN FROM PSALM 23

Leonard summarizes the message with three main conclusions.

First, believers are in great hands.

He describes himself as a shepherd, but only as an undershepherd who always yields to the Great Shepherd. The Great Shepherd is almighty, amazing, majestic, supernatural, and works miracles.

Therefore, believers can trust that they are in great hands.

Second, believers can always depend upon the Great Shepherd for everything.

Leonard says that this is what salvation is.

The Shepherd is sufficient.

He is the source of direction, protection, provision, righteousness, peace, rest, restoration, and every good thing described throughout the message.

Third, this is the believer’s life now and forever as the believer yields, follows, and lives by faith in the Great Shepherd.

The answer is therefore not to place confidence in self, circumstances, or human effort. The answer is to yield to and follow the Shepherd.

Leonard closes by encouraging listeners to be blessed by Psalm 23 and offers to provide the notes and the expanded version of the Psalm to those who want them.

CLOSING PRAYER

Leonard closes the teaching with a prayer of thanksgiving.

He thanks the Father for everything He has done and everything He has given.

He blesses and praises God for the wonder and truth of His Word and expresses acceptance of that truth.

The prayer ends in Jesus’ name.

The final message of “OUR GREAT SHEPHERD” is a call to recognize that God is speaking, to listen to the Holy Spirit, to keep the heart and mind receptive, and above all to keep one’s eyes fixed on Jesus.

The Lord is the Great Shepherd.

He guides.

He teaches.

He protects.

He provides.

He restores.

He brings peace.

He gives rest.

He works the miraculous.

And as believers yield to Him, follow Him, and live by faith in Him, they can trust that they are in great hands.

We hope this teaching blessed you and encouraged your faith in our Great Shepherd. May the truth shared through Psalm 23 remind you that you are never alone and that the Lord is faithful to guide, protect, provide for, restore, and lead you into His presence. Please feel free to share this message with someone who may need encouragement and a reminder of how good our Great Shepherd is.