#goodshepherd

How much more did our gracious, and merciful God do for us, when He sent His only begotten Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. Jesus is the mediator of a new covenant, and restores us to right standing before God. "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

The gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes. Praise God who has redeemed us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and made us partakers of His divine nature, and all that He has prepared for us now, and in the life to come, everlasting. He has given His church the ministry of reconciliation. O, how He loves the world, and is willing that none shall perish.

Jesus, upon seeing the multitudes weary, and scattered abroad, like sheep without a shepherd, was moved with compassion, and said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." (See Matthew 9:36-38)

The heart of our Great Shepherd is loving and forgiving, full of mercy and compassion, full of kindness and truth. A heart that judges righteously; a heart that wants His lost sheep to come home; a heart that wants both the young and grown sheep tended to, and fed with His teachings. A heart that desires the reaping of His harvest to be done, and His house to be filled. (See Characteristics of a Good Shepherd)

Related Bible Readings: Psalm 23; Psalm 78:70-72; Isaiah 40:10-11; Isaiah Chapter 61; Ezekiel 34; Micah 5:4-5; John 3:16 & 17; John 4:34-38; John 10:1-18; John 10:25-27; John 21:15-17; Matthew 10; Matthew 24:14; Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-20; Luke 14:16-24; Romans 1:16; Romans 10:17; The First and Second Epistles of Paul the Apostle to Timothy; Hebrews 13:20 & 21; 1 Peter Chapter 5

Jesus said:

‘I tell you most solemnly, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold through the gate, but gets in some other way is a thief and a brigand. The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the flock; the gatekeeper lets him in, the sheep hear his voice, one by one he calls his own sheep and leads them out. When he has brought out his flock, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow because they know his voice. They never follow a stranger but run away from him: they do not recognise the voice of strangers.’

Jesus told them this parable but they failed to understand what he meant by telling it to them.

So Jesus spoke to them again:

"He will protect His flock like a shepherd, He will gather the lambs in His arm, He will carry them in His bosom; He will gently and carefully lead those nursing their young." ーIsaiah 40:11 AMP ～ I decided to read the Bible last year (2021) from beginning to end. Not gonna lie, it was a hard, an on and off situation. There are tons of temptations. But I bet I would've finished it already if I wasn't lazy 😂😂 That's what the devil does, he doesn't want us to have an intimate relationship with our Maker, but he will never win.

I've always wanted to paint pictures inspired by the Holy Scriptures. And as I was searching for a verse that I had in mind for this piece, suddenly, I stumbled upon this lovely and comforting verse. Supposed to be the chapter that I'm gonna read tonight, yet I got spoiled. But would you look at that? HalleluYah! 🙏🙌 It may be a coincidence, but I don't know. It feels like it's meant to be.

We are Your sheep, oh Lord. Guide and lead us.

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WEEK SIXTEEN

Scripture

Psalm 23

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters, He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me; Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil, my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me, All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.”

Observation

Many look at this psalm as the biblical chapter to be read at funerals, but this psalm is actually one that is meant to bring joy and excitement in our lives here on earth. Although he is in the presence of his enemies, David discovers the greatest reason behind why he doesn't fear and why he overflows with abundant life and hope. The answer is: “I will not fear, For you are with me.” It's perhaps the most simple verse in this chapter yet the most powerful. Because of his confidence in knowing that the Lord is with him, he is able to look ahead and say, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me, All the days of my life.” It's why David can say “I shall not want.” He will always have more than enough in his life because the Lord is with him as the Provider. He is the Good Shepherd. All of David's peace and joy which is felt by reading this psalm point to the belief that God is with him.

Application 

It's hard to find rest in God when you believe that something bad will always happen to you. Part of why so many people struggle with hopelessness and anxiety about the future is because they are imagining their future without God. I have definitely done this before, resulting in feeling fearful. I've discovered that there is no beneficial outcome from imagining my present or my future without God. What I have found is that when I imagine God in my present and future and trust that He is working out all things for good in my life, anxiety fades away and peace comes at once. There may be enemies sitting in front of me but He has given me the ability to have joy because He is with me. What I like to do when reading this psalm is remind myself that no matter what happens in life, I will thrive because God is with me now and even years from now. I meditate on the truth that goodness and mercy are my inheritance and that nothing will stop God from being my provider, defender, restorer, and good shepherd of my life.

Read this psalm and feast on it. Ask Father God to show you where He is in your right now and where He is years from now. Ask Him to show you how goodness and mercy have followed you and will follow you all the days of your life. When He shows you, receive it in your heart. Sometimes what I like to do is say out loud, “I receive it and believe it,” to get my whole being in agreement with this truth. He says, “Let the weak say, I am strong.” It's powerful when we declare. 

“I am with you” is what gave Gideon strength to lead an army into victory when he believed that he was the weakest of the weak. “I am with you” is what gave Moses courage to face Pharaoh day after day asking him to let God's people go which resulted in the splitting of the Red Sea. “I am with you” is what David believed when he faced a giant that no man wanted to confront, which ultimately led him to lead the Israeli army into freedom against the Philistines. Imagine God with you daily because He is, and when a giant comes your way, you won't be afraid to run after it, cutting off its head. God is saying “I am with you. And I will be your hope and strength.”

Prayer

Good Shepherd, I pray that we would be a people that is fully convinced of the truth that you are with us. And when we know that you are with us, comfort, peace and courage fill us. Open up our imagination to see that you are in front of us and behind us leading us with your rod and your staff. I pray that we would lie down on green pastures in peace through disasters because our peace isn't in external realities going well. Our peace comes from fully trusting you as our faithful Good Shepherd over our lives. May we be people who truly and wholeheartedly trust in you.