Today’s reading is Psalm 23 There is probably no more well-known passage of scripture in the entire Bible than Psalm 23. I think of a story by Phillip Yancey, as he did a funeral for a young person who was … Continue reading
The Valley of the Shadow
Tag Archives: Shepherd
Listen
Sorry no posts the last few days. Holly’s grandmother passed away this last weekend and we’ve been back in Lincoln county and I didn’t have a lot of computer/internet access in the mornings. We are back home now, so everything should be back on schedule for the rest of the week!
In today’s readings listen to what Jesus says in John 10: 25-27. And that word listen is huge:
Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
Jesus tells the religious leaders that do not believe because they are not His sheep. His sheep will hear his voice. They will follow Him. They will hear, and they will listen.
It’s hard to follow Jesus if we aren’t listening. It’s hard to follow His command, if we aren’t listening. It’s hard to know which way to go, what to do, where we should be, if we aren’t listening. As His sheep, we’ve got to listen.
We live in a world of real distractions, things pulling at us. Emails, texts, social media, instagram, everything. So many things vying for our attention, for our mind, for our heart. We’ve go to listen. We’ve got to slow down, if just for a moment, and listen for that still small voice, calling out to us.
If are in a place of confusion, slow down, and listen. If you struggling with things in your life, slow down and listen. If you are unsure, slow down and listen. Listen.
Listen for His voice in His word. Listen in your conversations with other believers. Is the music you listen to. In the things you read. Listen.
He is speaking. He is the good shepherd, who loves His sheep. That means us! And He will speak to us. Listen. He is there. Calling out. Listen. He will speak.
Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones, and you thought our app, you can now watch our worship services from Asbury too!
Listen
Jesus talks a lot bout being the shepherd and us being the sheep. He talks a lot how the sheep know Him and He knows them.
The sheep know the shepherd’s voice. And they follow it. No matter where it leads them.
Listen to what it says in John 10:25-27:
Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
The sheep follow the voice of the shepherd because the sheep know that the shepherd has their best interest in mind. The sheep know that the shepherd loves them, cares for them, and will protect them.
The sheep know that the shepherd will protect them.
So do we. We know that our Good Shepherd loves us. Cares for us. Will protect us. Has our best interests in heart.
So we know that we can follow the voice of the shepherd wherever it is that He leads us. And it will be ok.
But, here’s the thing. We’ve got to learn to listen. We’ve got to learn to listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd.
We’ve got to listen for His voice. In prayer. In study. In worship. In service.
The Good Shepherd will call us. He will love us. He will lead us.
We just have to make sure that we are listening.
Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones.
The Good Shepherd
In scripture, we are compared a lot to sheep. And that sounds great.
Because sheep are cute. They are fuzzy. The are sweet little lambs. And so, in the bible when we are called sheep we think that’s a compliment.
It’s not. Being called sheep is not a good thing. We are not being complimented.
Sheep need the constant care and guidance from the shepherd. Without it, they would not make it. Without the care, voice, and help of the shepherd, they literally would not survive.
They would get lost.
So, look at what happens today in Matthew 18:12-14:
What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
We see a shepherd that had 100 sheep. And 99 are fine. One is lost, sure, but 99% is a pretty good success rate. I think any of us would be happy with that. But, not the Good Shepherd. Not God.
He wants all the sheep to be found. So, He goes out, searching for that sheep. Until He finds it. And there is much rejoicing when that happens.
Today, little sheep, no matter where you are in your faith, God is searching for you. He is looking for you. He is pursuing you. If you are lost and don’t know where you are. Even if you can’t find your way. Even if you want to give up.
The good shepherd is looking.
And He won’t give up on you. Come home. He is looking for you now. He loves you more than you’ll ever know. Come home.
The Good Shepherd loves all His sheep. The 99. And the 1. But, He rejoices when that little lost one comes home.
And so should we. Today, we are thankful that we serve a God that seeks us out.
Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones.
Remember Who’s You Are
One of the thoughts of faith that gives the most hope is to know that we belong to God. He has made us. We are His. We are His creation. We are His.
That just gives me a great deal of hope and peace. To know that know matter what happens in my life, to know that no matter what happens in the world, we belong to God. We are His. We are the sheep of His pasture.
Listen to what the Word says today in Ezekiel 34:30-31:
And they shall know that I am the Lord their God with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Lord God. And you are my sheep, human sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Lord God.”
Sheep are almost totally dependent on the shepherd. They can’t do much for themselves. The shepherd leads them. The shepherd guides them. The shepherd protects them. They follow the shepherds voice, and in that, they are safe.
Today, you are God’s. You belong to Him. Think about that in your work, in your play, in coming, in your going. You are His. You belong to Him. He has made you.
He delights in you. He protects you. He cares for you. He gave His son for you. He longs to know you. He longs to give you life.
No matter what happens today; good or bad, nothing will take that away. You belong to God. Rest in that today. Rejoice in that today.
There’s a verse in 1 Peter that says, “once you were no people, but now you are the people of God.” That’s who you are. You belong to Him.
The source of you life don’t come for your work, your play, your hobbies, the economy, politics, sports, or anything else. Those things can be up or down; good or bad.
The source of your life comes from this one thing that is always good and always true. You belong to God. You are His. You are the sheep of His pasture.
Today, remember who you. Today, remember who’s you are. Are you God’s
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