Dr Paul Allen

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” ( Psalm 23:1 ) The 23rd Psalm is perhaps the best-loved chapter in the Bible, with its beautiful picture of Christ as the Shepherd. This chapter finds its New Testament exposition in John 10:1-30, where Christ identifies Himself as “the good shepherd” who “giveth his life for the sheep” ( John 10:11 ). These two chapters ( Psalm 23 ; John 10 ) are probably the two greatest chapters in the Bible on the security of the believer in Christ. This theme seems woven by divine inspiration into the very structure of the passages. For example, there are six verses in the poetic structure of the psalm, each containing a different testimony concerning the providing and protecting Shepherd. In similar fashion, there are six times the word “shepherd” is used in John 10 , each referring again to the work of our Good Shepherd. There are also six references in the other books of the New Testament where Christ is referred to as a shepherd. The intensely p...

During Hillsong Conference Sydney , Pastor Brian Houston asked Carl Lentz to speak on Hillsong NYC. Carl delivered a message about the church 's humble beginnings and the importance of remaining close to God through life's highs and lows. "The story of Hillsong Church has never been about chasing a movie, or chasing the spotlight, it's always been about chasing the Shepherd! Sometimes when you don't know the journey, people can look at certain moments and say that they want that but they don't understand that our pastors , all they've done their whole lives is chase the shepherd ," said Lentz. His message was given days after Hillsong announced a new film "Let Hope Rise," which will document the international rise of the church's Hillsong UNITED worship band, is currently in the works. Lentz's message was solely focused on Psalm 23 but he also addressed the speculation that people oftentimes make when pastors and ...

English: An image of Psalm 23 (King James' Version), frontispiece to the 1880 omnibus printing of The Sunday at Home. Scanned at 800 dpi. Français : Illustration du Psaume 23 (version autorisée par le roi Jacques), en frontispice de l'édition omnibus du Sunday at home. Version numérisée à 800 dpi. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) " 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." ( Psalm 23:4 ) There are many dark valleys mentioned in Scripture, and these typify the many sufferings and hard experiences through which the people of God must pass. "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ , not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake" ( Philippians 1:29 ). The valley of Achor --which means "trouble"--was so named because sin in the camp of God's people had caused great defeat for their armies there ( Joshua 7:25-26 ). Willful...

English: An image of Psalm 23 (King James' Version), frontispiece to the 1880 omnibus printing of The Sunday at Home. Scanned at 800 dpi. Français : Illustration du Psaume 23 (version autorisée par le roi Jacques), en frontispice de l'édition omnibus du Sunday at home. Version numérisée à 800 dpi. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) "I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears ." ( Psalm 34:4 ) There are many things in such a world as ours that can bring fear into human hearts--fear of want, fear of war, fear of rejection, fear of the dark, and a multitude of others. Some fears are rational, some are foolish, but all are very serious to those who experience them. The good news of the gospel, however, can set us free from every fear. Remember that fear entered the world when sin entered the world. "I was afraid," Adam explained, when God found him hiding in the garden after eating the forbidden fruit ( Genesis 3:10 ). The second refe...