Keep Running

Keep Running

KEEP RUNNING!

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Hebrews 12:1-2

In the Greek games, a judge would stand at the finish line holding, in plain sight the laurel leaves that would be rewarded to the victor. As runners came down the final stretch, they were exhausted, tired, and feeling as though they couldn’t go another step. But suddenly there was a prize in sight, and a new burst of energy would kick in.

This is the picture behind the phrase “looking unto Jesus” in Hebrews 12:2. We have to keep our eyes on Jesus Christ. And our prize is the privilege of standing before Him and receiving the crown of righteousness that He will give us.

That is why we live the Christian life, why we try to live godly lives, and why we try to reach people for Him. It isn’t for earthly riches. It isn’t for applause. It isn’t for notoriety. It is so we can hear Jesus say to us on that final day, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” It isn’t to earn His approval, because as believers, we already have found it. But it is to ultimately say, “Lord, I took the life You gave me and tried to make a difference. Here it is. I offer it to You.”

“Looking unto Jesus. . . .” That is what keeps you going even when the going gets tough. You can get discouraged at times. People will let you down. They will disappoint you. They won’t appreciate your hard work. They won’t see your efforts. They won’t see your real motives. So they will criticise you. That is when you remind yourself, “I am not running for any human being. I am running for the Lord. And I will never give up. I will keep running till I see His face.”

Prayer: I look to You, Lord, my strength, the author and finisher of my faith.

Scriptural Reading: Hebrews 12:1-13

Keep Running

God With Us

God With Us

GOD WITH US

And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. Matthew 1:21

When an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, he was not only telling him that Mary had not been unfaithful, as he had thought, but that she was the virgin spoken of by the prophet Isaiah: “The Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (7:14).

That prophecy, given 750 years before, would be fulfilled in Mary. The child she would be carrying is Immanuel: God with us. What a staggering thought that must have been for Joseph. And what a staggering thought it is for us. It is really the essence of Christianity.

If you took the Christian faith and compared it to all other religious world views, this would be the clear distinction: Christianity is “God with us.” Christianity does not require that we try to somehow earn God’s approval. The Christian faith teaches that it is God with us, living inside of us, helping us to be the men and women He has called us to be. Christianity says that we are never alone again.

Jesus echoed this same thought when He said, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” And in Hebrews 13, God said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” Maybe you need to be reminded of this right now. Maybe you are feeling alone. God is with you. Maybe someone close to you has let you down or disappointed you. But remember, God is always with you.

Prayer: Thank You, Father, that in Christ, You are always with me.

Scriptural Reading: Matthew 1:18-25

God With Us

Gifts For A King

Gifts For A King

GIFTS FOR THE KING

For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him. Matthew 2:2

Christmas is a time of giving, and one of the joys of the season is the privilege to give gifts to our loved ones. The Lord Jesus said, “It is true that it is more blessed to give than to receive.” And we can’t wait to see the joy in the eyes of loved ones as they receive their gifts from us.

The wise men brought gifts to Jesus: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. What kind of gifts are these for a child? Myrrh, after all is an embalming element. Why give an embalming element to a baby? I believe these wise men had insight into who Jesus was. They gave Him gold because they recognized it was a proper gift for a king. They gave Him frankincense because that is what a high priest used when he went into the temple to represent the people before God. They gave Him myrrh because they recognized that this king would die for the world.

What can we give to the King during this Christmas season? What do you give to the Lord, who has everything? What does the Lord want from us? He wants our lives. The greatest gift you can give to Jesus this Christmas is yourself. It is to dedicate your whole life to Him and say, “Lord, I give You my life. I give You my talents. I give You my abilities. I give You my dreams. I give You my future. I give You my weaknesses. I offer myself to You. Here is my gift to You.”

Let’s be like these wise men and worship Him and give ourselves to Him. As we approach the New Year, why don’t you rededicate yourself to the Lord; to love Him, walk in all His ways, and serve Him with all your gifts and resources? There is no greater gift than this.

Prayer: Lord, I give You all that I am, all that I have, and all that I hope to be.

Scriptural Reading: Matthew 2:1-12

Gifts For A King

Remember The Giver

Remember The Giver

REMEMBER THE GIVER

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given. . . Isaiah 9:6

When people give Christmas gifts to each other, they usually put a lot of thought into the gift beforehand. A gift tells us quite a bit about the giver, doesn’t it? You can estimate, more or less, what people think of you by the gifts they give you. On the other hand, we can all probably remember Christmases from our childhood when we sometimes failed to fully appreciate what we had been given.

It seems to me that presenting gifts to one another is a very right and very good thing for us to do. I believe that in doing so, humanity is subconsciously helping to underscore the greatest and most important thing for us to realize. We must never forget that God the Father is the giver. Of course, it is natural and right that we should think about the child in Bethlehem, our blessed Lord, lying as a helpless baby in a manger. But let’s never forget this: God is the giver.

It was the Father who sent His Son into the world. It was the Father’s purpose. It is God who “so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son . . .” (John 3:16). It is God who “sent forth His son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law . . .” (Galatians 4:4).

There is no greater insult to a giver than when someone is more interested in the gift than the giver. Let’s never forget, therefore, that the Son of God was sent by the Father and that He was sent to bring us to the Father, the great and eternal Giver.

Prayer: Father, be exalted in my life as I reflect on the significance of Christmas.

Scriptural Reading: Isaiah 9:1-7

Remember The Giver

The Purpose Of The Gift

The Purpose Of The Gift

THE PURPOSE OF THE GIFT

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. John 1:29

When you are planning to give a gift to someone, you usually start thinking about it ahead of time. What would this person really want? Then, of course, you start searching for it and saving for it. It is not something you do at the last minute. If you haven’t planned ahead to get a gift for your family yet, you are a poor giver. Maybe you are planning on finding a shopping mall that is open at the last minute. Maybe you have been working really hard and you haven’t had the time. But I think if you really love someone, then you will take the time to select a gift for them in advance.

This gift God gave to us was not an afterthought. Long before there was a stable in Bethlehem, long before there was a garden called Eden, long before there was a planet called Earth, a decision was made in the counsels of eternity. God decided to send His Son to save us from our sins. God knew that Adam would fall. God knew he would cross the line and eat the forbidden fruit and sin, and God knew that as a result, we all become sinners.

That is why the Bible says that Christ was slain from the foundation of the world (See Revelation 13:8). The all-knowing, ever-present God made the decision long before our actual sin that Jesus would come to this earth, be born, and would live, die, and rise again from the dead to save us from our sins. This was the purpose of the gift God gave to us.

Prayer: I bless Your holy name Father for You, Father, are thoughtful and so loving.

Scriptural Reading: John 1:29-34

The Purpose Of The Gift

The Real Gift

WRAPPED IN SWADDLING CLOTHS

And this will be a sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger. Luke 2:12

Some people will go to great lengths to wrap a Christmas gift. They will create beautiful, ornate packages. I have no wrapping ability whatsoever. My wrapped packages look horrible. For most men, wrapping paper is merely an obstacle to keep us from what we really want. We don’t care about wrapping paper. We just want to know what’s inside the package.

God’s gift didn’t come to us in elaborate wrapping; it came in simple wrapping. Jesus was born in Bethlehem in a very humble environment. Think how difficult the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem was for Mary and Joseph. Then when they arrived, they had to stay in a stable or cave where the animals were kept. The manger was just a feeding trough for the animals. And I think that place was very cold that night. I think it smelled like any other stable. It was a very unsanitary environment in which to bring a child into the world.

I don’t say that to detract from the beauty of Christmas. Rather, I say it to add to the beauty of what God did for us. The Creator of the universe, the Almighty God who spoke creation into existence, came and humbled Himself to become a little baby, born in a stable in Bethlehem.

He was not laid in the manger in satin sheets, but in rags. He was not laid in a bed of gold, befitting a king, but in a feeding trough for animals. There He was—the greatest gift of all—in simple wrapping. Jesus took His place in a manger so that we might have a home in heaven.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for coming to the earth poor that I may go to heaven rich.

Scriptural Reading: Luke 2:8-20

The Real Gift

The Greatest Gift

The Greatest Gift

THE GREATEST GIFT

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. James 1:17

Some of the most precious gifts often don’t attract our attention at first. We take a hurried glance and see nothing of signficance. But if we go back and take another look, we begin to discover the glory and the wonder of that gift. So it was with the helpless baby in the manger. He was the only begotten Son of God. Words cannot describe it, as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.”

Even God couldn’t give a greater gift than He has given. He gave His dearly beloved Son. He has given the One who was with Him from all eternity and sent Him into the world. Our Lord Himself spoke of such a sacrificial act in His parable about the vineyard owner. The owner, who had unworthy servants looking after his property, sent his representatives and servants to the vineyard. One after the other was maltreated, even killed. Then the owner thought, “If I send my son, they won’t do this to him. Surely they will respect my son. There is nothing beyond this. It is the last act.”

Hebrews 1:1 says that God sent many servants into the world and to the nation of Israel. God has endowed and endued the world with many outstanding men and women. But God has surpassed them all with the gift of His Son. This is what should fill our minds and hearts with astonishment: that God has done something that even He himself cannot exceed. He gave His only Son, His eternal Son, and sent Him into the world.

Prayer: Father, I praise Your name for the sacrifice of Your Son for the sins of the world.

Scriptural Reading: James 1:12-18

The Greatest Gift

Its All About Jesus

Its All About Jesus

IT’S ALL ABOUT JESUS

Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9:7

As we look at our world today, we realize that part of the promise of Isaiah 9:6-7 has not yet been fulfilled. The Son has been given. The Child has been born. But He has not yet taken the government upon His shoulders. We do not yet have peace with judgment and justice. But the good news is that there will come a day when Christ will return. He will establish His kingdom on this earth. And it will be the righteous rule of God himself.

Before Jesus could take the government upon His shoulder, He had to take the cross upon His shoulder. Before He could wear the crown of glory as King of Kings, He had to wear the shameful crown of thorns and give His life as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. The first time, a star marked His arrival. But the next time He comes, the heavens will roll back like a scroll and all the stars will fall from the sky, and He Himself will light it.

Christ came to this earth. God came near to you so you can come near to Him-to give your life with purpose and meaning, to forgive you of your sins, and to give you the hope of heaven beyond the grave. Christmas is not about shopping or presents. Christmas is not about the gifts under the tree. Rather, Christmas is about the gift that was given on the tree when Christ died there for our sins and gave us the gift of eternal life. That is the gift He extends. That is what Christmas is all about.

Prayer: Thank You, Father for being the greatest giver of all time and eternity.

Scriptural Reading: Isaiah 9:1-7

Its All About Jesus

Divine Departure

Divine Departure

DIVINE DEPARTURE

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Galatians 4:4-5

When we think of Christmas, we think of the arrival of Jesus: “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given.” In reality, it was also a departure. For us, a Child was born. But for God the Father, a Son was given.

In heaven, the time had come for the departure of God’s Son. We even have a record of Jesus’ farewell words to the Father. He said, “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you have prepared for me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you had no pleasure.” Then I said, “Behold, I have come—in the volume of the book it is written of me—to do your will, O God.”

Jesus literally left the throne in heaven to a feeding trough. He went from the presence of angels to a stable of animals. He who was larger than the universe became an embryo. Scripture sums it up well: “Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor.” And whilst we rejoice at His arriving, in heaven there is sadness at His departure. The giving of the Son was a big sacrifice on the part of the Father and His angels.

No one who has ever lived has even remotely affected human history the way Jesus Christ has. He has been opposed, censored, banned, and criticized by every generation since His birth. Yet His influence continues unabated. There has never been anyone like Jesus, because Jesus was not just a good man. He was the God-man who came and walked this earth. And that is what we should celebrate every day.

Prayer: Father, thank You for giving us Jesus, Your only begotten Son.

Scriptural Reading: Galatians 4:1-7

Divine Departure

Divine Touch

Divine Touch

THE HEALING TOUCH

Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever. So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them. Matthew 8:14-15

In the ministry of Jesus, He employed different methods to bring healing to people.

1. He touched the sick

2. He gave the sick instructions to follow

3. He responded to the faith of those who trusted in Him

4. He acted in mercy to heal

In this instance, Jesus used what is known as the ‘laying on of hands.’ He reached out with His hand and touched the hand of Peter’s mother-in-law to heal her from a feverish condition. When we are yielded to the Lord, He uses our hands as extensions of His hands to touch a hurting world. Our hands can bring healing and blessings on many levels.

•  Physical healing. The sick get healed when hands are laid with the prayer of faith. Healing virtue is then transmitted to drive away all manner of diseases. That is one of the commands that Jesus gave to us before He ascended to heaven. He encouraged us to lay hands on the sick and promised healing.

•  Emotional healing. The warm and loving embrace of a parent brings comfort and a sense of belonging to a child. Especially when the parent silently whispers a prayer for their children anytime they embrace them. That warm embrace provides solace for the child in the midst of a cruel and dangerous world.

The Lord has no hand in this world but your hand. Let your hand be the extension of Jesus’ hand to bring healing and comfort to those around you.

Prayer: Lord, use my hands as extensions of Your hands to bring healing and comfort to those in pain.

Scriptural Reading: Matthew 8:14-17

Divine Touch

The Voice of Peace

The Voice of Peace

THE VOICE OF PEACE

For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace. Isaiah 55:12

Not only does God speak to us through His Word, and not only does He speak to us through people and circumstances, but God also speaks to us through His peace. Colossians says, “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful” (3:15). Another way to translate that verse is, “Let God’s peace act as an umpire in your lives, settling with finality all matters that arise.”

God’s peace can act as an umpire in your life. He can settle with finality what you should do. Here’s how it works. Maybe you think that something is the will of God. Circumstantially, things have fallen into place. You begin to proceed, but then you have a complete lack of peace. Something inside of you is saying, “Don’t do it.”

The Old Testament tells the story of a clever group of individuals known as Gibeonites, who lived in Canaan. God had instructed Joshua not to make any deals with the inhabitants of the land. So the Gibeonites put on old shoes and clothes and pretended as though they had come from a distant country. They told Joshua they had come to enter into an agreement with him. Joshua unknowingly struck a deal with his enemies because he failed to consult the Lord.

Things can look good outwardly. Everything can seem right. Be careful. Learn to listen to that still, small voice. Learn to pay attention to that peace, or lack of it, in your heart because that is one of the ways God will lead you. When you’re in the will of God, you will have His peace.

Prayer: Lord, teach me to listen to the  voice of Your peace.

Scriptural Reading: Isaiah 55:6-13

The Voice of Peace

Flee Evil Signs

Flee Evil Signs

FLEE THE VERY SIGNS OF EVIL

Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. – 2 Timothy 2:22

Some years ago, I read an article about a man who had a tree fall on his leg. With no one around to come to his rescue, he took out a pocketknife and proceeded to amputate his leg. Then he made his way up the road until someone picked him up and raced him to help. Amazingly, this man who had a severed leg still had enough presence of mind to tell the driver of the vehicle not to go too fast. He said, “I didn’t come this far to die on the road. Take it easy.”

I remember reading that story and thinking, “He did what? How could this guy cut off his leg? I would have laid under the tree and just waited for help.” But the doctors who treated him later said that if he hadn’t taken such a drastic measure, he would have died. He did it to save his life.

Sometimes we must take radical, drastic steps to remove ourselves from whatever it is that is hurting us spiritually. That may mean immediate change. It may mean physically getting up and saying, “I’m out of here.” You might be at that party. Watching that movie. In that relationship. In that car. Wherever it is, you realise you shouldn’t be there. God is convicting you. He is saying, “What are you doing here?” Don’t be foolish. Just get up and go.

Is there a relationship or a situation you need to get out of? Has God been speaking to you about it? Don’t waste any more time. Get out of it now!

Prayer: Lord, help me rid myself of anything that besets me and hinders my progress.

Scriptural Reading: 2 Timothy 2:14-26

Flee Evil Signs

Fulfillment In Christ

Fulfillment In Christ

FULFILMENT

My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips. Psalm 63:5

When your alarm clock goes off in the morning, do you wish you could just stay in bed? Do your struggles and responsibilities weigh you down with frustration, boredom, or hopelessness? If these sentiments describe the way you feel about life, then you are not enjoying the fullness of life that Christ offers. He is not only our Savior but burden-bearer. He wants us to have His joy and peace in our lives abundantly.

Here’s how you can find fulfilment in life:

•  Notice God’s gifts, and thank Him for them. Make it a daily practice to thank God for each new day when you wake up from bed. Throughout the day, keep your mind on the good things in your life for which you’re grateful. Don’t forget to acknowledge basic blessings, such as your ability to breathe, eat or smile.

•  Turn your worries into prayers. Whenever a worry enters your mind, find a promise of God that responds to it and turn it into a pray point. Know that worry can’t accomplish anything good, but faith in the Lord has great power, since nothing is impossible with God, and trust Him to answer your prayers in the right way at the right time.

•  Look for fulfillment in the right place. Stop looking for true and lasting satisfaction in the wrong places, such as through your work, personal pleasure, or accumulation of knowledge or material possessions. Realize that only God can provide the fulfillment you seek. Make a strong relationship with Him your top priority.

Prayer: Lord, I celebrate Your goodness in my life and thank You for Your grace and mercy.

Fulfillment In Christ

Unleash Your Faith

Unleash Your Faith

STAND FIRM

Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from what we believe; they will follow lying spirits and teachings that come from demons. 1 Timothy 4:1

Everything going on around us points to the fact that we are living in the last days. All around us, we see prophecies being fulfilled before our very eyes that Jesus and the prophets gave us. The Bible warns that in the last days things will go from bad to worse. The Scripture also warns that one of the signs of the last days will be that many people shall fall from the faith.

The question is, can you or I ever fall away from the Lord? Without question, we have the potential, even the inclination, to turn away from the truth. We have the potential to drift away from the Lord.

This is why we must give careful attention to the potential pitfalls that can easily trap us and take us away from the Lord. We must be aware of the schemes and strategies of Satan as we are living in the last days. As the Bible said, “The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So don’t live in darkness. Get rid of your evil deeds. Shed them like dirty clothes. Clothe yourselves with the armour of right living, as those who live in the light.”

This is not a time to be playing games with God and living in half-hearted commitment to the things of God. The only way to survive as a Christian, and even flourish in these last days, is to be completely committed to Jesus Christ.  Otherwise, we will be easy targets for the tactics, strategies, and flaming arrows of the devil.

Prayer: Father, keep me from falling and preserve me holy and blameless until the day of Christ.

Scriptural Reading: 1 Timothy 4:1-11

Unleash Your Faith

How To Weather Times & Seasons

How To Weather Times & Seasons

THROUGH TIMES AND SEASONS

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

To really enjoy life, you must know how to handle time and the different seasons that you will go through. Change is a constant in life. Every day, week, month and year introduces new things in your life. You will not always be on the mountain top; neither will you always ne in the valleys. There will be seasons of dryness and seasons of fruitfulness. Each season has its purpose and works to make you appreciate God’s grace towards you in different situations. When you are up, He is there with you and when you are down, He also stays with you.

Place the seasons of your life in God’s hands. Ask God to transform your attitudes and bring positive results out of negative situations as you travel through life’s seasons. Rely on God’s unchanging power in the midst of changes you experience in all aspects of your life. Rather than battling the season you currently find yourself in, ask God what He wants you to learn from it, and trust Him to give you the encouragement and strength you need. Know that, while life is unpredictable, your faith in God will always stand.

Use your time wisely. Regularly remind yourself of how fragile and fleeting life on earth can be, and that every day is a gift from God. Don’t fall into the traps of being lazy or too driven, missing out on God’s best for you. Ask God to give you wisdom to use your time each day as He would like you to use it, according to His purposes for your life.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that wherever I am, You are there with me; help me trust You daily.

Scriptural Reading: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

How To Weather Times & Seasons

When We Suffer For Christ

When We Suffer For Christ

SUFFERING FOR CHRIST

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. James 1:12

The Christian life is not always rosy. Sometimes it hurts to serve Christ and do His will. Serving the Lord may cause you to give up on many things you love and cherish. You may lose some good friends or even family members who find your new life too strange and weird. Perhaps you have endured a lot of mockery, scorn and name-calling for daring to stand by the authority of scripture. If that is your situation, God promises you a special reward that is reserved for those who suffer for His sake.

There are many who have suffered so much for their faith. Throughout church history there are records of many who were tortured and killed – men, women and children who were put to death for professing Christ. Others have had their names and reputations smeared. If they had denied the Lord, they could have walked away free but they loved the Lord so much that they could not deny Him before men. They choose to die in faith than to lie in falsehood.

If you have suffered the loss of something like a friendship, if you have been ridiculed and persecuted, know that God will reward you in this life and in the next. Whatever you gave up, He will make it up to you.

When we suffer for the Lord, He promises to share His glory with us. As we hold high the banner of Christ, He also upholds our name before the Father.

Prayer: Lord, strengthen me to hardships as a good soldier.

Scriptural Reading: James 1:12-18

When We Suffer For Christ

You Are Loved By God

You Are Loved By God

YOU ARE OF GREAT VALUE

Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor – 1 Corinthians 3:8

A man who was doing a house-cleaning went up to his attic to throw out old items abandoned and forgotten. While picking up the junks, he came across an old vase that he thought might be worth something. So, he took it to an antique dealer for an evaluation. He was shocked when he walked out with a check for $324,000. It turns out that the vase was a piece of 15th-century art from the Ming dynasty. And all that time it had been sitting there in his attic; dusty and forgotten.

There are people who faithfully labour behind the scenes for the Lord whom we don’t know of. But their Heavenly Father who sees them in secret will one day reward them openly. In fact, you might be one of those people. No one knows your name. No one knows what you do. But you are faithful to do what the Lord has asked you to do and strived to do the best with what He has given you.

So don’t be jealous of what someone else has. Don’t worry about what God has called someone else to do, because you won’t be judged for what someone else is called to do. And they won’t be judged for what God has called you to do. Be faithful with what God has put before you.

You may think that what you do for the Lord doesn’t have any real value. Remember that God’s value system is different from us; what may not seem valuable here may be priceless there when we stand before the Lord. So keep on doing that good work, it will be richly rewarded.

Prayer: Help me, Lord, to serve You faithfully wherever You place me.

Scriptural Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:5-17

You Are Loved By God

The Voice Of God

The Voice Of God

THE VOICE OF THE LORD

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. John 10:27-28

Sheep are simple creatures surrounded by a very harsh world. In the days of Jesus, the sheep had predators such as wolves, bears and lions. In addition, there were thieves and robbers who came into the sheepfold to steal, kill and destroy the sheep. The sheep also had to contend with all kinds of life-threatening diseases.

The thieves had a method for stealing the sheep. They tried to trick the sheep by imitating the voice of the shepherd. Any sheep that couldn’t distinguish between the voice of a thief and the shepherd would be stolen.

Jesus used this analogy of the sheep and the shepherd to teach us about the kind of relationship that must exist between us and Himself. He is the shepherd; we are the sheep. As the sheep is threatened by so many enemies, we also have enemies who want to snatch us from the hand of the shepherd, afflict us with diseases and destroy us.

How do we survive?

•   Know the voice of the Lord.

•   Follow the Lord obediently.

•   Trust in the Lord’s protection.

The Lord speaks to us daily through the Bible, the Holy Spirit, and through the teaching and preaching of His word. At least one time in every sermon God breaks through the words of the preacher and speaks directly to us. It may be in a single sentence or in just one phrase. It is vital we hear and follow the voice of the Lord.

Prayer: Teach me to hear and follow Your voice, O Lord. May I never follow the voice of the enemy.

Scriptural Reading: John 10:22-30

The Voice Of God