Do you recognize the good Shepherd’s voice?

God – the Creator of the universe.

I heard something that made me realize more clearly how deplorable and offensive we are to God before the precious Blood and atoning death of Jesus made Him to be for us (1 Corinthians 1:30) all we need, and then the dust that we are becomes glorious again.  (Dr. Swindoll) “It is not a compliment to us that God calls us sheep.  Sheep are stupid, stubborn, dirty with a very offensive odour, defenceless and panic easily.  In a panic they all mindlessly follow one sheep that plunges over a precipice into disaster.”  Do you, can you differentiate between the voices of false shepherds and the voice of the Good Shepherd?  False Shepherds (Jeremiah 50:6) always lead astray, away from truth and safety, and deceitfully seduce the sheep who are unwary into idolatry and disaster.

There is a story about a Christian shepherd in the highlands of Scotland.  I like it because my great-grandfather was a Christian shepherd in the highlands of Scotland.  I am not sure if it is true but it is a wonderful illustration of Jesus the Good Shepherd.  This is how the story goes.  That shepherd’s daughter heard him call his sheep every day and she recognized the shepherd’s call; she knew the voice of her father.  But she rebelled against the Lord and the principles of her father.  She ran away to the city and lived a life of sinful immorality.  Her broken-hearted father waited, prayed and kept hoping she would return.  But there was no sign of her.  After some time, he went to the city to look for her.  He went up and down the streets in the worst part of the city and on every street, he gave his shepherd call.  Finally, he came to the worst and most dangerous street in that section.  In a tumbledown shack on that street his daughter was sitting in a room with evil companions.  Suddenly a look of astonishment came over her face.  She heard the shepherd’s call and she recognized her father’s voice.  She jumped up, flung open the door, ran outside and right into her father’s arms.  Then he took her home with him and loved her back to God and to decency.

Isn’t that just like Jesus, the Good Shepherd Who searches for and recovers (Matthew 18:12-13) the sheep that was lost.  Jesus is (John 10:14) the Good Shepherd and He is totally good, too good to ever do anything wrong.  He knows and loves each one of us personally, individually and we recognize His voice.  That is why I thank God for everything in my life.  I’m thankful even for the painful things I don’t enjoy because I know that God has a good purpose for everything He sends or permits in my life and His purpose is always for my benefit.  Some things are just the inevitables of living in a fallen world but, even these, God weaves into the pattern of the (Romans 8:28-29) all things designed to make me like Jesus.  One thing I know for sure is that God’s will is always the very best and there is nothing better.  God’s way is always the right way, and God’s timing is always the perfection of exact timing.  How could we ever be so foolish as to choose less than best, the wrong way or a hurry up schedule to suit ourselves in our ignorance and arrogance?  It is better to be weak and tired and (Isaiah 41:10) upheld by God’s strong righteous hand than to feel okay and go it on your own.  Jesus is (1 Peter 2:25) the Guardian Shepherd ,Who oversees all the details of our lives, meets our needs, directs our path and guides us all the way through time and right into eternity.  He is never lacking in power.  Jesus is (1 Peter 5:4) the Chief Shepherd.  When he gathers all of us sheep to the final and forever sheepfold of our heavenly Home, He will give the conqueror’s crown of glory to those who have discerned and turned away from and conquered sin and straying and have remained true to the voice of the Good Shepherd.

All under-shepherds must learn from the Chief Shepherds. Pastors and Elders will continually nourish themselves on God’s Word and they will (John 21:17) feed the people with (1 Peter 2:2, Hebrews 5:14) the pure milk and solid food of the Word of God.  Their protection and defence for their people will be (Ephesians 6:17) the sword that the Holy Spirit wields.  That sword will cut into error, will slice open heresies and false cults.  Like a surgeon’s scalpel, it will penetrate, probe and cut away all the dangerous cancerous growths of carnality and pride.

The transforming power of God through the Atonement of Jesus gives us godly wisdom and (2 Timothy 1:7) a sound mind.  We have (1 Corinthians 2:16) the mind of Christ.  We are or should be, so rooted in the Truth of God’s Word that we cannot be led astray by false or foolish or wicked shepherds.

Ishmael the natural son of Abraham (Genesis 21:9) mocked Isaac the miracle son of promise.  (Oswald Chambers) “If I refuse to (Romans 12:1) sacrifice my natural life, my natural life will mock the life of the Son of God in me.” This becomes very obvious when we allow impulsive indulgence to scorn and mock wise discipline.

There is no situation – condition – circumstance in which I cannot obey God.  When I choose, when I determine to obey the Lord, the Holy Spirit fills me with the fullness of power I need to obey.  In continual obedience the Holy Spirit and I rejoice together because God is being glorified.  (Dr. Stanley) “Our focus should be only on obedience not on the consequences of our obedience.”

The Lord (Jeremiah 51:15-16) made the earth by His power, He established the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding.  He created and controls the weather.  God – the Creator of the universe, God in a manger confined in the body of a baby.  God on his knees washing the disciples’ feet, God hanging on the Cross.  God was in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:19) reconciling the world to Himself.  God (Psalm 103:19) has established His throne in the heavens and His kingdom rules over all.  Do you recognize the Good Shepherd in each and all of these marvels?  Only by the revelation of the Holy Spirit can we get beyond mere head knowledge to a real and true comprehension of WHO our Good Shepherd actually is.  Then we will be filled with and rejoice in a whole-hearted passion to love and obey Him. No matter the cost.

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