Archive for the ‘Shepherd’ Category

THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Tuesday, October 19th, 2010

Day 227

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” John 10:14

A child finds great security, comfort and rest in a loving parent. When the day comes to its end, they intimately rest in the parent’s bosom. The parent knows their child and everything about them. The child has no doubts. They draw on the parent’s strength, provision and care for their life. How much more so it is with the good Shepherd. He alone is the good shepherd. As used here, the word good is different and signifies One who lays down their life for the sheep. To be known by the Lord brings the greatest assurance a Christian may have. He does know us. He has known us before we were, and He knows our every thought and characteristics. He knows the very number of hairs on our head. He calls us, “My own.” The intimacy of the fellowship between our Lord and ourselves is patterned on His relationship with the Father–“I known My own and My own know Me, just as My Father knows Me, and I know the Father.” While much of the world lives a life that is hidden, broken and filled with emptiness, we have One who understands and knows us and with Whom we may find comfort and rest. It is He who cries out, “Come, Whoever is thirsty, let him come: and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life” [Revelation 22:17].

“The Lord is my shepherd,I shall lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters” Psalm 23:1-2

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THE ONE REQUIREMENT

Tuesday, October 12th, 2010

Day 220

“You servant was tending his father’s sheep”
1 Samuel 17:34

What is the one overriding characteristic of our Father in heaven? It is His love for us. First, He created us with the explicit purpose of being partakers in His divinity and having fellowship. He proved to be unchangeable in this purpose. He has never deviated from His original plan in spite of man’s rebellion. Everything He does points to the completion of His eternal plan.

The recorded history of God’s relationship with us continually demonstrates His love. He first loved us. He seeks us. He restores us. He is faithful, even when we are not faithful. He continually thinks on us. He sustains, girds, strengthens, and prospers us. And, in our weakness and wickedness, He sent His only Son to show us the way back. And for that He paid a price of suffering and death. All for us.

Do you aspire to minister? There is only one requirement. When David made his case to challenge Goliath, his reason was that he took care of his father’s sheep. Go all the way to Jesus’ last days and listen to His conversation with Peter; “Do you love me more than these?” Jesus asked Peter the same question three times. Each time Peter said yes and the Lord’s answer was, “Feed My lambs,” “Shepherd My sheep,” and “Feed My sheep.” There is the one requirement; you must have a compelling and practical love to the point of laying down your life for God’s people. It is as He Himself has shown us.

“Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture,
will praise you forever; from generation to
generation we will recount your praise”
Psalm 79:13

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THE FATHER’S SHEEP

Friday, September 24th, 2010

Day 202

“Your servant was tending his father’s sheep”
1 Samuel 17:34

What were David’s qualifications? He visited the Israelite encampment and found that the Philistine’s had sent a giant named Goliath out to taunt them into battle. Being a massive man and mighty warrior, he presented an overpowering and frightening presence to the Israelites. They were no fools, so they stayed in camp. It was this scene that David came upon.

David was a very young man, most likely in the 12 to 17 age bracket (favoring the younger age). As the youngest he took care of his Father’s sheep. His brothers were serving in the army. And while taking care of the sheep, he had already proved himself in battle with a lion and a bear, killing both. They had taken from the flock. He saw Goliath no differently, as one who would kill the Father’s children. David won the right to do battle with Goliath. David declared, “I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts . . . this day the Lord will deliver you into my hands . . . for the battle is the Lord’s” (1 Samuel 17:45-47). The remaining story is well known.

What were David’s qualifications? There was only one; “Your servant was tending his father’s sheep.” Our Great Shepherd is Christ, and He is tending the Father’s sheep—you and I. He has laid down His life for us, making full provision so that not one us will be lost. Neither the lion nor the bear shall take one away, for our Great Shepherd has conquered death, setting us free. He said, “And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those He has given Me, but that I should raise them to eternal life on the last day” (John 6:39).

“Blessed be the Lord, Who has not given us to be torn by their teeth. Our soul has escaped as a bird out of
the snare of the trapper; the snare is broken and
we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the
Lord, who made heaven and earth”
Psalm 124:6-8

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HE KNOWS YOU

Wednesday, July 7th, 2010

Day 126

“O Lord, Thou hast searched me,
and known me”
Psalm 139:1

God knows you. He knows everything about you, your character, traits, peculiarities, habits. He knows your very thoughts. He knows how you will react to situations. The short of it is that He knows you thoroughly and better than you know yourself. Jesus expressed this when He said He knows His sheep (John 10:14). That is because He is the Good Shepherd.

He knows you because you are His and this should bring great comfort and peace. His “knowing” is intimate and means He has understanding of us. God is neither surprised nor shocked by our behavior. If you are fully surrendered to Him, His knowledge of you brings direction, guidance, and blessing. If you are resisting Him or rebellious, His knowledge of you will bring light in your darkness and lead you out, as one who has lost your way. He will not rest until He has brought you to His pasture.

David said that God desires truth in our innermost parts. We are to be at one with ourselves, meaning that both our inner and outer man is the same. Only when we walk in truth is our unity full in Christ our Shepherd. He has written our days in the Book of Life and His thoughts are towards us. Think about it! The God who created the universe, the world and man, thinks about you all the time.

“Lead me in the way everlasting”
Psalm 139:24

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THE LORD WHO BREAKS OUT

Sunday, April 18th, 2010

Day 60

“And there he defeated them”
2 Samuel 5:20

Did you know the Lord is a Man of War and that He is warring against the enemies of His children? The Old Testament gives many accounts of God’s people facing formidable enemies who outnumbered them. When David was anointed King over Israel, the Philistines went in full force to find him. They came and spread their armies throughout the Valley. David asked the Lord what to do and God gave Him directions. The result was that David defeated them. He said, “As the waters break out, the Lord has broken out against my enemies before me.”

The second time David faced them, the Lord gave another battle plan wherein he would circle around them, and wait until the wind from their marching was rustling the balsam tree tops. He struck when this happened, and defeated them again in an even greater victory. These and many other accounts are great studies of the way in which God gives wisdom and strength to His people. Yes, ‘gives,’ not ‘gave.’ God is as active today in warring against our enemies as He was in the Old Testament History.

God is a Father and we are His children. We were once lost, but have been rescued. He snatched us out of death. Do not believe for one moment He is going to allow anything to happen to us! Our Father is protecting us even today. No matter what enemies you face, whether they are of your own making, other people who work against and betray you, or any number of other things – inquire of the Lord and He will break through the enemy, and bring victory.

“The Lord will fight for you,
you need only to be still”
Exodus 14:14

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HE IS OUR CAPTAIN

Thursday, March 18th, 2010

DAY 32

“And everyone . . . gathered to him;
and he became captain over them”
1 Samuel 22:2

David was anointed king, but his time had not arrived. King Saul was still in office and in pursuit of David, making him a fugitive. At one point in his running, David had faked insanity to avoid King Achish possibly killing him. He then escaped to the cave Adullam where his brothers and father’s household came to him.

Another group of people also joined David in the cave. Everyone who was in distress, debt and discontent gathered to him. Approximately 400 of these people became David’s men, and he became captain over them. Although David had more than enough of his own problems, he took these people in and made them part of his company. He took on the accountability of leadership over them.

This paints a great picture of Jesus Christ as the Captain of our salvation. He said he didn’t come for the healthy, but the sick. As Shepherd and King, He searches out those who are in distress, debt, and discontent. He has come for those who are weary and burdened. Even He was born humbly, and when He ministered it was to sinners and the destitute. He knows our weaknesses and infirmities. Yes, He is our Captain, to the end.

“For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom
are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory,
to make the captain of their salvation
perfect through sufferings”
Hebrews 2:10

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