Shepherds and Sheep

In the Old Testament, the Lord warned the leaders (shepherds) that he put OVER the sheep (his people)...

Ezekiel 34...
‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: How horrible it will be for the shepherds of Israel who have been taking care of only themselves. Shouldn’t shepherds take care of the sheep? ³ You eat the best parts of the sheep, dress in the wool, and butcher the finest sheep. Yet, you don’t take care of the sheep. ⁴ You have not strengthened those that were weak, healed those that were sick, or bandaged those that were injured. You have not brought back those that strayed away or looked for those that were lost. You have ruled them harshly and violently. ⁵ So they were scattered because there was no shepherd. When they were scattered, they became food for every wild animal. ⁶ My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered throughout the whole earth. No one searched or looked for them.

In the New Testament, we are all ministers of the New Covenant if we belong to Him...

Matthew 25...

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all his angels are with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² The people of every nation will be gathered in front of him. He will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right but the goats on his left.

Mother Teresa said, "The reason we have no peace is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other."

I love this song and what a reminder that we are our brother's keeper... Please join me in praying this week for the men of Harrisonburg First Church of the Nazarene as they retreat to seek the Great and Good Shepherd.

James 3:18,

Camelot

A Song for Going up for Worship

O Lord, out of the depths I call to you. 

O Lord, hear my voice. 

Let your ears be open to my pleas for mercy. 

O Lord, who would be able to stand if you kept a record of sins? 

But with you there is forgiveness so that you can be feared. 

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and with hope I wait for his word. 

My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, 

more than those who watch for the morning. 

O Israel, put your hope in the Lord, because with the Lord 

there is mercy and with him there is unlimited forgiveness. 

He will rescue Israel from all its sins. (Psalms 130:1-8 GW)

Hope receiving forgiveness and mercy is hope that is reality in real life.

James 3:18,

Camelot

Wisdom from God

Wisdom begins with an open unguarded heart toward God, Jesus increases the void that is filled with wisdom and the desire to learn from Him.

Proverbs 1

The proverbs of Solomon, David’s son who was king of Israel, ⌊given⌋ to grasp wisdom and discipline, to understand deep thoughts, to acquire the discipline of wise behavior— righteousness and justice and fairness— to give insight to gullible people, to give knowledge and foresight to the young— a wise person will listen and continue to learn, and an understanding person will gain direction— to understand a proverb and a clever saying, the words of wise people and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Stubborn fools despise wisdom and discipline. My son, listen to your father’s discipline, and do not neglect your mother’s teachings, because discipline and teachings are a graceful garland on your head and a ⌊golden⌋ chain around your neck. My son, if sinners lure you, do not go along. If they say, “Come with us. Let’s set an ambush to kill someone. Let’s hide to ambush innocent people for fun. We’ll swallow them alive like the grave, like those in good health who go into the pit. We’ll find all kinds of valuable possessions. We’ll fill our homes with stolen goods. Join us. We’ll split the loot equally.” My son, do not follow them in their way. Do not even set foot on their path, because they rush to do evil and hurry to shed blood. It does no good to spread a net within the sight of any bird. But these people set an ambush for their own murder. They go into hiding only to lose their lives. This is what happens to everyone who is greedy for unjust gain. Greed takes away his life. Wisdom sings her song in the streets. In the public squares she raises her voice. At the corners of noisy streets she calls out. At the entrances to the city she speaks her words, “How long will you gullible people love being so gullible? How long will you mockers find joy in your mocking? How long will you fools hate knowledge? “Turn to me when I warn you. I will generously pour out my spirit for you. I will make my words known to you. “I called, and you refused to listen. I stretched out my hands to you, and no one paid attention. You ignored all my advice. You did not want me to warn you. I will laugh at your calamity. I will make fun of you when panic strikes you, when panic strikes you like a violent storm, when calamity strikes you like a wind storm, when trouble and anguish come to you. “They will call to me at that time, but I will not answer. They will look for me, but they will not find me, because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord. They refused my advice. They despised my every warning. They will eat the fruit of their lifestyle. They will be stuffed with their own schemes. “Gullible people kill themselves because of their turning away. Fools destroy themselves because of their indifference. But whoever listens to me will live without worry and will be free from the dread of disaster.” (Proverbs 1:1-33 GW)

Choice

Everyday while He was on earth, Jesus went out to preach and teach the Kingdom of God. He constantly looked for lost sheep,  not content that some were saved, but it is His desire that all be saved. The Parable of the Lost Sheep has the shepherd leaving the 99 and going after the one.
 

 In Luke 15, the Parable of the Lost Son goes deeper. Are we willing as sheep to allow Him to do what He must to bring home the one without the attitude of the big brother?

Have Mercy Lord Jesus on all of us.
James 3:18,
Camelot

Lose Faith?

How horrible it will be for the world because it causes people to lose their faith. Situations that cause people to lose their faith will arise. How horrible it will be for the person who causes someone to lose his faith! (Matthew 18:7 GW)

Oh be careful little eyes what you see,

Oh be careful little hands what you do,

Oh be careful little tongues what you say,

For Your Father up above is looking down in love,

Oh be care full...

God loves the world. He is always at work drawing people to himself. Jesus is the author, pioneer, and finisher of our faith. Throughout the journey in between we can encounter and can become people who encourage faith or who cause people to lose faith. So put on love, which holds us all together in holy faith.

James 3:18,

Camelot

Write On My Heart

For 40 years I was disgusted with those people. So I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts continue to stray. They have not learned my ways.’ (Psalms 95:10 GW)

So glad today that my righteousness does not depend on my learning, but rather on my leaning. How gentle sit my kind God, who writes love with love.

James 3:18,

Camelot

Illustrations

In a chapel service recently, I shared the attitude of the heart when looking at art. Passing it over or REALLY looking into the illustrations, noticing the details and almost hidden truths folded in. Let us lean in with open ears and encourage others to do the same with the Word of God and the illustrations of Jesus.

Then he used stories as illustrations to tell them many things. He said, “Listen! A farmer went to plant seed. 

Some seeds were planted along the road, and birds came and devoured them. Other seeds were planted on rocky ground, where there was little soil. The plants sprouted quickly because the soil wasn’t deep. But when the sun came up, they were scorched. They withered because their roots weren’t deep enough. 

Other seeds were planted among thornbushes, and the thornbushes grew up and choked them. But other seeds were planted on good ground and produced grain. They produced one hundred, sixty, or thirty times as much as was planted. Let the person who has ears listen!” 

The disciples asked him, “Why do you use stories as illustrations when you speak to people?” (Matthew 13:3-10GW)

So what the prophet had said came true: “I will open my mouth to illustrate points. I will tell what has been hidden since the world was made.” (Matthew 13:35 GW)

James 3:18,

Camelot