Jesus the Good Shepherd

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep."  

                                                                                                       John 10:11    NKJV

In v8, Jesus primarily referred to the religious leaders of the day. They were not true shepherds and didn't have the approval of God on their ministry. Jesus is the door; many counterfeits have come but not one of them has the staying power or quality that Jesus has. They are just very good at imitating and misleading people. It was the same here; Jesus was saying that the sheep will not go near or accept anyone except the true shepherd. 

Jesus said in v10, 'The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.' He offers life in abundance, in fact, superabundance and more than enough. 'Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us'  Ephesians 3:20. He gives us more than we could ever imagine as long as we remain in Him and Him in us.

Jesus gave His life for the sheep and He is our true shepherd. The hirelings or hired workers, only do the job for their wage; when they see a wolf attacking the flock, they run off to save themselves and leave the sheep to the mercy of this savage animal. Not so the Good Shepherd - Jesus. True shepherds give their life for the sheep and are with them constantly.

Jesus knows His sheep through and through. He knows all about you - everything. He knows what you think, what you do in secret, He knows the behind closed doors syndrome of your life and the words you use; and He still adores you because you are His, He cares for you and will never let you go. Even if you wander off - and sheep are prone to wander - He will come looking for you. His love and concern is truly amazing. 

Where could you go to find a more genuine love that Jesus offers you? He took your life out of the dirt, washed you clean and put clean clothes on you. He then declared that you are His - eternally. One day you will see the Good Shepherd face to face; what a privilege that will be!

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Jesus the True Shepherd

"But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep"    John 10:1-5    NKJV

In the minds of the Jewish leaders, a shepherd was any kind of leader, spiritual or political; people looked on the king and the prophets as shepherds. They should have been Israel's spiritual shepherds but, they were spiritually blind. This is why Jesus highlighted the difference between shepherds and thieves.

Thieves and robbers did not enter through the door of the sheep pen; they would climb over the wall and enter the fold through deception. If they did manage to get in, the sheep would never follow them for sheep, whose eyesight is not good, would only follow the voice of their own shepherd. False shepherds can never lead the sheep, so they must steal them away. When Jesus came to the nation of Israel, He came by the appointed way as the scriptures promised.

Every true shepherd must be called and sent by God. If he truly speaks God's Word the sheep will follow - they will know His voice and will not be afraid. The true shepherd will love and care for his sheep. This is probably why a lot of churches don't thrive and only have a small following. It may be that the pastor is either in the wrong place or, he has not been called by God in the first place. They are known by their fruit and the people will only follow who feeds, nutures and encourages them by God's Word.

Satan and his followers have no concern for the well-being of the sheep, they enter the sheep pen for their own gain. The true shepherd offers safety, security and loving care, this is why the sheep follow him or her. When you are next in a field where sheep are present, try and approach them and you will see that they run away. Why is this? It's because you are a stranger to them and they do not recognise you at all. They will not follow you no matter where you try to lead them. They are familiar with their own personal shepherd, they have a personal relationship with them and this is akin to your own personal relationship with Jesus. 

Jesus is our personal shepherd, He loves, cares and guides us. He knows the way and He will lead us accordingly. Don't be tempted to veer off the right path. Things may not always go how you would like them to go but, if Jesus is leading, you are on the right way because, He is the way, the truth and the life. No matter what, your personal shepherd has laid down His life for you.

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard.                                 

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Put that on my account

"17 If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. 18 But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account."   Philemon 17-18    NKJV 

Onesimus was one of Philemon's many slaves. Philemon was a Christian and a very close friend of the Apostle Paul. It appears, that one day Onesimus robbed Philemon and ran off to Rome where he hoped to disappear in the Metropolis. God works in amazing ways though, He met Paul and was converted there and then.

The Law permitted slave owners to execute rebellious slaves. Philemon was angry enough to do so, but he was also very disappointed that Onesimus should do such a thing. The thing is, Philemon was a Christian and it would be a great slur on his testimony. But, if he let Onesimus off, then the other slaves would expect such a thing as well. It was a total impasse.

Paul felt that Onesimus needed to face up to what he had done and go and put it right with his master. Paul was also helping Philemon to grow in love and forgiveness. They both needed ministry. To forgive and receive Onesimus back would have been difficult for Philemon. Put yourself in his place, what would you do?

The facts are not too clear but it seems that Onesimus had left his master as a slave, but he returned as a brother. One thing we do know is that Paul had said to Philemon, that he would pick up the tab for what was owed. He told him to, 'Put that on my account'. Does this remind you of someone? Yes, Jesus; He paid the price of our sin - our debt was placed on His account and we were declared not guilty.

Probably you may be like Philemon because you have been wronged. Then again, you may be like Onesimus because you have failed and made a dreadful mistake. The bottom line is, what are you going to do about it? If you have been wronged, will you point the finger and refuse to forgive, making the person pay for their wrongdoing? Or if you have wronged someone are you just going to sit there and get on with your life, or if possible, will you go and put things right, asking for forgiveness? The choice is very much yours, there's a blessing coming you way if you choose the right one.

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard.                                 

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Me and my shadow

"He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty."                                                               Psalm 91:1    NKJV 

A shadow can be described as a constant companion. Everywhere you go, especially in bright sunshine, your shadow is with you - constantly. When you consider that this scripture is describing abiding under the shadow of the Almighty, it brings on a whole new meaning. Really, God is with you when you abide with Him.

When you make God your refuge and fortress (v2), He can be trusted to offer you security and safety. Picture young birds in the nest. They have many predators after them, so the youngsters take refuge under the wings of their parents. They know they are safe from danger there. Similarly, observe parents holding the hands of their young child as they walk to school or elsewhere. The child feels this security and safety, without even thinking about it; there is a feeling that nothing can harm them. This, if you will allow it, is how it is with Our Father. He protects us and keeps us safe.

God places a shield of protection around you and, this is His truth. During our lifetime, we have all felt the terror of the night; those dark wintery nights with sounds coming from different places. It can make the hairs on the neck stick up as we walk alone. Even the arrows that fly by day, and the devil will fire them at us (Ephesians 6), can maim us if they catch us. They are sent to destroy and to cause devastation in a person's life. Then of course, there is pestilence which can be described as a plague. Covid falls into this category. Many have been terrified that they or their family will get it. It has been a fearful time for us all. There is also destruction, something that comes along and harms people. Terrorism can be named along with this and the stabbings that seem to be on the increase all over the world, not forgetting the fears of war in some places.  A lot of these can be blamed on the devil but not all of them. It can be just life.

Threats and spiritual attacks will come against us but, regardless of the dangers around us, those who experience the covering that God provides, who abide under His shadow, will be cared for and will ultimately see the punishment of the wicked (Psalm 91:7-8).

Therefore, get under God's protection now and be watchful of the traps that are all around us. He promises:

'Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways'.    Psalm 91:9-11.

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard.                                 

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Do a taste test

"I sought the Lord and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears." v4   

                                                                                                      Psalm 34:4-8    NKJV

David was experiencing many troubles at this time and knew in his heart that, the only way he could go was to God. He decided that he would bless the Lord at all times; praise would be forever on his lips. God responds to this; He responded to David and He will respond to you as well.

Note what David said in verse 4 above, 'I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears.' The Lord heard David's praises and cries for help and He delivered him from them all; not just a few but all of them. God is a God of abundance; He gives His all as we give ours. David was saved from all of his fears and troubles that were around him 

You know, we can either walk around with a gloomy, unsatisfied and unbelieving face, or we can walk around in faith with our faces aglow. The choice is ours. No one can force us to have the faith to believe that God saves, satisfies and delivers, it is our own personal choice. What is yours?

Verse 8 is a faith verse. We are encouraged to taste and see that the Lord is good. It doesn't say, have a sip of Him. The verse tells us to go the whole way and taste. If we sip a glass of wine, it is difficult to get the whole bouquet of the drink. Wine tasters sniff and swill the wine around their mouths to get the full taste. In the same manner, we need to taste fully how good the Lord is. 

He doesn't encamp around us because He has nothing better to do. He sets up camp around us because He loves us and wants to protect us. Once we have asked for this, woe betide anyone who tries to harm us. His presence places a hedge around us that no one can penetrate. If we don't ask for this or if sin is present in our lives, then the hedge is broken and we are open for attack. So be careful and wise.

You will have fears and troubles from time to time but where do you go with them? Don't think that prayer is not going to help in a certain situation. It will. And don't think that God will not hear you, He will. So when you need His help - pray. At other times, pray and praise Him (v1) and realise that this is the best way of tasting how good He is. So do the taste test

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard.                                 

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!

When they point the finger, let them find nothing

 "Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, 7 in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, 8 sound speech that cannot be condemned that one who is an opponent may be ashamed , having nothing evil to say of you."                                                     Titus 2:6-8    NKJV

Paul is encouraging Titus to direct the older men and women to teach the younger generation about how to handle themselves the way God would have them. He tells Titus to exhort the young men. Exhort means to strongly urge and advise and this is what was needed. They needed to be self-controlled in everything. 

Today, this is equally needed for both genders; the older men and women, who have a sound, Christian lifestyle, can be used to advise and encourage the youth of today. It is teaching them Godliness. If the younger generation need anything, then it is this kind of direction. In a culture that encourages drugs, alcoholism, promiscuity and violence, teaching self-control is a much required message.

Paul encourages Titus to be an example of good works  that glorify God and others and, the bible encourages us to do the same. As Godly men and women, we are to live such lives that if anyone wants to point the finger at us, there will be no evidence for them to gossip about. Jesus has declared us 'not guilty' and we should remain so. People will always talk about us, especially non-believers. It is as if they have to find something wrong with our testimony that gives them satisfaction to talk about. However, we as Christians can be the same. How many times do we meet up and discuss other people's baggage, quite a lot at times? We have to demonstrate self-control; otherwise, the younger generation who may witness our behaviour, may feel that it is ok to do the same. We need to be above reproach.

It would be good practice to study these three verses above; to explore and dig out what the Holy Spirit is showing you. Apply the verses to yourself and ask, 'Is there room for improvement in my walk with God?' Get a note book and write down what you feel the Holy Spirit is showing you. Be honest with yourself because you, need to guide the future generation in their walk. It is not just the pastor that does this, we should all be doing this. It is so important. We are ambassadors of Jesus.

When you think about it, there is nothing better than to be above reproach; to live your life where if anyone points the finger, they will find only Jesus, nothing else.

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard.                                 

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Grace and Favour

"For You O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favour You will surround him as with a shield."                                                                                Psalm 5:12   NKJV 

Warren Wiersbe writes: 'The outcome of our fellowship with the Lord should be joy in His character, His promises and His gracious answers to prayers.' David praised God for the blessings and protection He provides for those who love Him. In Psalm 5:11, He urges God's people to boast about Him and to shout for joy as a way of expressing recognition of who God is, what He has done and what he can be trusted to do. Tony Evans comments: The one who experiences God's favour will be surrounded by God like a shield. There is no safer place to be.'

We see this in the example of Joseph in Genesis 39:2-4: 'The Lord was with Joseph and he was a successful man, and he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian. 3 And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that, the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hands. 4 So Joseph found favour in his sight and served him.'

Psalm 1:1-3 reads:

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.'

This Psalm resembles Joseph's life, especially while he was in prison. He had God's favour surrounding him. Why? Because, He lived for God, accepted where he was and his whole life was built on doing what God wanted him to do and, because he did, God gave him favour. 

The immediate circumstances in our lives are not always the best indicator of God's blessing or guidance. To Jacob, Joseph was dead, killed by wild animals; however, Joseph was very much alive and he was where God wanted him to be. Just think about that for a moment. At this time, things may not be ideal; it may be hard work and full of disappointments and failures. However, you may be where God wants you to be. Perhaps, if you begin to accept this fact and, give your best to God wholeheartedly, He will surround you with His Grace and Favour and turn on the taps of blessing for you. It is just a case of acceptance and being content where you are and getting on with the job in hand. It's food for thought.

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard.                                 

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