SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPPARD!

MARK 6:34

"Jesus had compassion on them because they were like SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPPARD."

Every flock of sheep needs a Sheppard.  Left to their own devices the sheep are not very bright and can make terrible life threatening decisions.  They really need someone to lead them to greener pastures and still refreshing waters.  The sheep need someone to protect them from the ravenous wolves of this world.  Sheep would soon wander apart from one another and become more vulnerable.  They could be picked off one by one.  Who is your Sheppard?  Who protects you and your family?  

The Lord has order in His church and supplies a style of government that He has ordained.  He is the head of the church , but He has appointed His Sheppard's, also known as pastors or bishops.  There is a direct link from the Lord to His sheep through His Sheppard's.  They care for His sheep and they protect them from harm.  Sheppard's are the door to His sanctuary and they have an awesome responsibility.  The church is what keeps us from going astray and it is important to God.  If  we do not have pastors its like SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPPARD.  

If you are in a church without an anointed Sheppard of the Lord,  you are in danger.  You will not be fed every day and you could receive strange food that will sicken you.  You will not receive the rivers of living water that satisfy your thirst if you do not have one of God's Sheppard's.  Instead you may end up drinking water from a poisoned well that can kill you.  If you do not have God's Sheppard you can get lost and be in great danger.  Ask God to lead and direct  you to His Sheppard, the right one who you can trust and follow.  The Lord is our Sheppard and He will give us all that we need.  As for those who do not follow and believe in God, they are like SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPPARD!

THEY TEACH RIGHT FROM WRONG!

PSALM 37:30-31

"The Godly offer good counsel;  THEY TEACH RIGHT FROM WRONG.  They have made God's Law their own, so they will never slip from His path."

Do you want to avoid slipping off God's path as you walk through life?  Do  you want your children to know right from wrong?  What is it that will keep us safe from the wicked as they lie in wait for the righteous?  Are you aware that the wicked seek your very life.  Do you know that the wicked spy on you and seek to get you off God's path?  Knowing this you need good counsel, were should you go?  Who can teach us right from wrong and keep us from slipping off the path to God?

Godly, uncompromisingly righteous people utter wisdom and speak the words of truth and justice.  The Law of the Lord is in the heart of the Godly.  As a result of this their steps neither slip nor slide from God's path.  They have more knowledge and are better equipped to know the expectations of God and what He desires from us.  They can teach you God's Word and how to tell right from wrong.  The unrighteous can not give good counsel or show you the right path, because they have never experienced it themselves.  If the blind lead the blind, will they not both fall into the ditch.  

If you get advice from bad people, it will be bad advice.  If you get counsel and advice from good and righteous people it will be Godly and righteous advice.  The Godly know right from wrong and that is who we must seek out for the answers to questions about this life.  If you know that bad answers come from bad people, stop seeking their advice on anything.  The Godly offer good counsel and you should seek them out.  THEY TEACH RIGHT FROM WRONG.  Make God's laws your own and you will never slip from His path!

WHY ARE YOU AFRAID?

MARK 4:40

"Why are you afraid?  Do  you still have no faith?"

Is it your nature to be afraid of everything, at all times?  Are  you the type to be afraid of change? What happens when your physical well being or your environment changes?  Are you afraid of what you can and can not eat safely?  Does it bother you that what causes cancer and other ailments is different and changing all the time?  Are you afraid to fly or drive on a freeway?  Are you so afraid of sickness and death that you have stopped living?   Maybe this is the right time to reflect on your belief in Jesus Christ, your Lord and Saviour.  Ask yourself, why am I so afraid, Do I still have no faith? 

There are storms in every life, but the Lord will be there with you every time.  The Lord may let you stumble, but He will never let you fall, He will save you.  You will be sick and infirm and eventually you will die to this flesh, but, Jesus will be holding your hand in this life and the eternal life to come.  Death will have no sting and the grave will have no victory over you, for you will be alive in Christ Jesus.  To be absent from this body is to be present with the Lord, and so will it be always.  This is just a temporary life and situation that we must pass through. By being "born again" we can never die the second and eternal death.  If you know this than what or whom shall you fear.  If your focus is on the Lord,  WHY ARE YOU AFRAID?

If you have full faith in the Lord and His Word you do not have to be timid or afraid of anything.  If you trust in Him you can come to no harm, He will save you.  Your attitudes reflect you inner belief's and your mouth will speak the abundance of your heart.  If you are afraid of death or anything else it tells us that you do not believe or have trust in the Lord and His Word.  Why would you question the Lord if you have faith in Him?  Look inside and if you believe in God and His promises and His Word then, WHY ARE YOU AFRAID?  Keep your focus on the things eternal and not the present temporary life.  You are just passing through!

HOLD MY HAND!

PSALM 37:23-24

"The Lord directs the steps of the Godly.  He delights in every detail of their life.  Though they stumble they will never fall,  for the Lord HOLDS THEM BY THE HAND!"

Do you remember what is what like to walk along holding your father's hand?  We always felt secure knowing that our father was right there with us.  He would guide and protect us from harm.  We looked up to him and trusted that his love would keep us from falling and failing. Remember how big and strong your father looked to you as a child?  Today's truth is to let us know how much our Heavenly Father Loves us and does the same thing.  Every day of your life your Heavenly Father delights in the details of your life.  God directs your steps and even though we may stumble we can never really fall or fail for HE HOLDS US BY THE HAND!

Every believer should want the Lord to direct his steps, do you?  I do not want to go anywhere or do anything that takes me away from His path.  It is so comforting to know that the Lord is guiding and directing me.  What is even more wonderful is that He is interested in every detail of my life and interested in every step that I take.  The Lord walks beside us all the time and in some cases He even carries me.  Just like our earthly father, our Heavenly Father takes a hold of our hand and supports  us and holds us up.  The best part is that our Heavenly Father will always be there when we stumble.

The Lord Jesus Christ promises to never leave us or forsake us, even to the end of the age.  Maybe you have lost your earthly father and that has made you sad and lonely.  Maybe your security level is diminished because your father is not there to console you or talk with you.  The beauty of having your Heavenly Father comes when you have a full knowledge of His Word and today' scripture.  The Saving Grace of Jesus Christ is with you right now, directing your steps.  He is involved in every detail of your life and it delights Him.  He knows that we are fallible and that we can stumble but in the end He offers eternal life with Him and that means that you can never fail and never fall to your death.  Do you know this truth about believer's and the Lord?  HE HOLDS THEM BY THE HAND!

LISTEN CAREFULLY!

MARK 4:24

"Pay close attention to what you hear.  The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given.  Those who LISTEN CAREFULLY and consider  my teaching will receive even more."

When it comes to the Lord's teachings, do you pay close attention and can you hear?  Are you careful who you listen to and what you hear?  Do you really hear what is being said when you listen to someone?  Have you experienced the delight of receiving even more when you carefully consider the Lord's teachings?  When it comes to the Word of God, the measure of thought and study you give to His truths will be the measure of the virtue and knowledge that you receive. LISTEN CAREFULLY to the messages of God and you will receive even more than you expected!

Your listening and hearing of the Word of God is proportional to the learning you will receive.  Your study habits are vital to ensure that you get the most out of God's Word.  Pay close attention and you will increase your understanding.  Carefully consider His teaching and you will receive even more understanding.  The promise here is that the more diligent you are the more you will be given.  To whom much has been given, even more will be given.  To whom little has been given, even that little will be lost or taken away.  Your reward will be commensurate with your paying close attention to His teaching and then considering what you heard.

If you have an ear, listen to what the Spirit of God is telling you.  You need to get closer and pay more attention to the Word of God that you have been given.  Pay greater attention whenever you hear or read the Word of God.  The more that you learn and understand, the more you will be given.  If you do not LISTEN CAREFULLY, even the little that you learn or understand will be taken from you.  The greater the effort on your part, the greater the reward from the Lord!

Can you hear the Spirit talking to you?

FEAR GOD!

REVELATION 14"7

"FEAR GOD, the angel shouted, give glory to Him.  For the time has come when He will sit as Judge."

What does it mean, and why should we FEAR GOD?  If  you were standing before a judge who had the power to give you a sentence of death or eternal life in prison, would you be fearful or concerned?  What if you knew that you were guilty and deserved to be punished as a result of the numerous sins you had committed?  What if you were about to be given an appropriate sentence for the things you had done, would you shake and tremble and be fearful?  Would you fall down on your knees before the Judge and beg for His mercy?  The Lord God is that judge and you will be brought before Him.  He has the power of life and death over you.  

That is why the angel cried out with a mighty voice to tell this truth for today.  His message is to Revere God and give Him Glory and Honor,  Praise and Worship.  Yes we each individually must choose to love and respect our Lord and Saviour.  When the hour of our judgement comes we will all find ourselves before the Living God.  We will fall before Him in adoration because He has become our Saviour.    That is the good news that you have heard and accepted,  Jesus is merciful.  Jesus forgive our sins and we will not get the judgement we deserve.  Instead we receive eternal life in Heaven.  

Truly, the beginning of wisdom is the FEAR OF GOD!  The angel is crying out to the whole world about the Good News of Jesus Christ.  The news is for all people of every nation, tribe, race and language.  Have you heard the good news?  Have you listened and then opened the door to your heart and allowed your Saviour to come in and dwell with you?  Have you learned to Love, Respect and Fear God?  There will be a time of judgement for all of us.  Upon our death to this life on earth we will be judged and this can be a time for Salvation and Mercy or it can be a time of punishment and separation for eternity from God.  If understood, damnation and eternal separation from God is the reason you need to FEAR GOD! 

RIGHTEOUS IN GOD'S EYES!

LUKE 1:6

"Zechariah and Elizabeth were RIGHTEOUS IN GOD'S EYES, careful to obey all of the Lord's commandments and regulations."

What does it mean to be righteous?  How many people do you know personally that you would call righteous?  Is righteousness a process or is it accomplished in an instant?  Are you careful to obey all of the Lord's commandments and regulations?  What happens to those who break the Lord's commandments and do not obey His regulations?  God knows that we are all sinners and have come short of His glory, so what is it that He expects from each of us?  

It would appear that God has a standard that applies to those He calls righteous in His eyes. We find it here in Luke.  The Lord is looking for people who are obedient to all His commandments and regulations.  He desires people who are faithful  and have learned His Word!  God is looking for people who listen, learn and then follow His instructions for their life.  That is the reason He left us His Word, the bible, and why He tells of His laws and commandments.  His desire is for every one of us to walk in His ordinances and thus be blameless.  

Those who know the Lord and His commandments, and then do what God Say's are considered righteous.  They are without fault, when they keep His laws.  If you practice righteousness you then can become righteous.  Everyone who practices righteousness is born of God.  We all need to pray that God has chosen us to hear, learn, known and then put into practice His Will.  Pray that you will hear the voice of God and then be a doer of His Word.  Can you think of a more wonderful result then to have it said about you that you are RIGHTEOUS IN GOD'S EYES!