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The Psalm 23 Life: Experiencing the Love of God Every Day

I'm new to writing. I'm a mechanical engineer with a long career in the aerospace industry. I've been accused, quite fairly, of being very analytical.

I first felt that there might be value in turning my series of Bible teachings on Psalm 23 into a book some four years ago. After years of slow but steady writing, the first draft was finished. But what now? There came a period of analysis paralysis, of doubt, has not the world got enough Christian books?

Then, one day I was at a quiz night talking to a complete stranger. I just happened to mention that I was writing a book, but I wasn't sure what to do next, or even if I should try to get it published. What the stranger said next stopped me in my tracks:

He said, "Will it help people?"

What a good question! Of course, that was the question I should be asking myself. I realized that my focus had been on me, "Will people like what I have written? Should I try to get it published?

As I thought about his oh so simple and yet profound question, I realized that pride is like a seesaw. At one end of the seesaw is the kind of pride that seeks to exult and boast, to look good in front of others. And at the other end, is the kind of pride that belittles yourself and what you can do. This is where I was, and I realized that this end of the seesaw is just as prideful as the other end, because at both ends the focus is on me.

So did I believe that this book would, or could, help people? Well yes I did. It helped people when I taught it, and I had this conviction inside, which I took to be from God, that he would use it to help people. So I pushed ahead and published the book:

"The Psalm 23 Life: Experiencing the Love of God Every Day".

It now feels like I have planted a seed. I need to water it, but it is God who will make it grow and bear fruit. Let all the glory go to him.

I've just published the second article in the series "Lessons from the Potter's Wheel" on Medium:



Centering - How to Find Inner Peace

This article draws on my experience of centering clay on the potter's wheel to illustrate how centering our lives on Jesus Christ can transform our lives and lead to inner peace.

It explores, not only why Jesus is the center of the universe, but also how we can go about centering our lives upon him.

I'm excited to have just published the first newsletter from my publication on Medium.

The newsletter is called "Becoming...", and the first issue is entitled "Deep calls to deep".

You can find it, and sign up to future editions at:


The publication is called PELOS PRESS, and it has the tag line:
"Treasure in jars of clay — becoming all we were meant to be." You can find the publication homepage at:

Two Bible verses have leapt out at me recently:
#1 “Wherever I cause my name to be honoured, I will come to you and bless you.�� (Exodus 20:24 NIV)

Whatever part we may play in the purposes of God, how amazing to know that in the end, it is God who causes his name to be honoured, not us. And how generous he is in promising to come to us and bless us, when we are his instruments in bringing honour to his name.

#2 “…I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills�� (Exodus 31:3 NIV)

The Lord said this to Moses about the person that God had chosen to lead the work of making the Ark of the Covenant and all the other articles associated with the Tabernacle. How good it is to know that God fills us with all we need to fulfil our calling, whatever that might be.

It occurred to me that we can combine these two verses into a wonderful prayer of blessing, for ourselves and others, along these lines:

“Lord please cause your name to be honoured in me today. Please come to me and fill me with your Spirit, with wisdom, with knowledge and with the skill to complete the good work you have given me to do, for the praise of your glory.�� Amen!

The Psalm 23 Life: Experiencing the Love of God Every Day

I know these things are transient, but I am encouraged by the rankings that my book has achieved more than a month since its launch:

- In the top 10 under Spiritual Meditations, Devotionals & Evangelism for Kindle in UK
- In the top 20 under Christian Meditations, Christian Faith, Old Testament Studies & Hebrew Bible for Paperback in the UK.

I'm very grateful for all those that have bought the book, and hope it will encourage them in their walk with Jesus.

I've just published the third article in the series "Lessons from the Potter's Wheel" on Medium:



It describes the "opening" process in forming a vessel on the wheel, and how it illustrates the importance of the foundations in our Christian life. It introduces the issues of:

- Honesty with God
- The word of God
- The love of God
- Assurance of salvation

Jesus said:

‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.�� (Matthew 13:44-46 NIV)

What is it about the kingdom of heaven that makes it like hidden treasure and a pearl of great value? Well, even though they were far from the Promised Land, and understood little about the nature of God, I think that Moses and the Israelites knew.

In Exodus 33 God said that he would give them the Promised Land, he would even send an angel before them to drive out their enemies. But Moses and the people we devastated. Why? They were devastated because the Lord said that he would not go with them. He would not go with them because they were a “stiff-necked people��, and he might destroy them. They had shown the hardness of their hearts though their sin with the golden calf. Even a people such as this were devastated by the thought of losing the presence of God. We often do not realise the treasure that we have until we lose it. Moses and the people understood that the Promised Land would be nothing without the presence of the Lord with them. They show us that: it is the presence of the Lord that is the true hidden treasure; it is the Lord himself who is the "pearl of great value", his love and his nature that we can experience in the kingdom of heaven.

I love the way that Moses says to God:

'You have said, “I know you by name and you have found favour with me.�� If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favour with you.' �� ‘If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?�� (Exodus 33:12,13,15,16 NIV)

Following Moses�� prayer, the Lord does indeed promise to go with them, but I love the way Moses says "What else will distinguish me..." How true that is. What a blessing and privilege we in Christ have, to know that the Holy Spirit dwells within us, "Christ in us". He is the one who distinguishes us; he is the one who empowers us. He is the treasure that lives within our jars of clay. Let's rejoice, let’s keep asking God to fill us with his Spirit, let’s be prepared to do whatever it takes to know him more and to please him.

As we remember the coming of the Prince of Peace, do you remember what he said?
‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.�� (Matthew 5:9 NIV)
Being a peacemaker does not make you a child of God, but peace-making is one of the things children of God do. If you want to be a peacemaker, I hope you find this article helpful.

We never outgrow the need to trust God.

In fact, as Jesus said, 'From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded...'

Here's my latest article looking at what we can learn from Moses on this subject:

HE CAME to be my shepherd, I lack nothing.
HE CAME to make me lie down in green pastures,
HE CAME to lead me beside quiet waters,
HE CAME to refresh my soul.
HE CAME to guide me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
YOU CAME to be with me,
so that even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil;
YOU CAME that your rod and your staff,
might comfort me.

YOU CAME to prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
YOU CAME to anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
YOU CAME to make sure your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and because YOU CAME, I will dwell in the house of the Lord
for ever.