Monday, February 12, 2018

My Shepherd.


Joh 10:1  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 
Joh 10:2  But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 
Joh 10:3  To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 
Joh 10:4  And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 
Joh 10:5  And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. 
Joh 10:6  This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. 
Joh 10:7  Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 
Joh 10:8  All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 
Joh 10:9  I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 
Joh 10:10  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 
Joh 10:11  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 
Joh 10:12  But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 
Joh 10:13  The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 
Joh 10:14  I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 
Joh 10:15  As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 
Joh 10:16  And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. 
Joh 10:17  Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 
Joh 10:18  No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. 

Joh 10:19  There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings. 
Joh 10:20  And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him? 
Joh 10:21  Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind? 

Joh 10:22  And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. 
Joh 10:23  And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. 
Joh 10:24  Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. 
Joh 10:25  Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. 
Joh 10:26  But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 
Joh 10:27  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 
Joh 10:28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 
Joh 10:29  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 
Joh 10:30  I and my Father are one. 

Joh 10:31  Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 
Joh 10:32  Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 
Joh 10:33  The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. 

Joh 10:34  Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? 
Joh 10:35  If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; 
Joh 10:36  Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? 
Joh 10:37  If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. 
Joh 10:38  But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. 

Joh 10:39  Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand, 
Joh 10:40  And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode. 
Joh 10:41  And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true. 
Joh 10:42  And many believed on him there. 

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Most Christians know that our Savior is the Good Shepherd, and most can recite the Lord's Prayer which begins--- 'The LORD is my Shepherd…'  We comprehend that a shepherd cares for sheep which are helpless without him. Sure, there are sheep that don't have shepherds and they survive. Before sheep were bred to keep their wool growing year round they would lose their coat naturally every year and grow it back. They didn't need sheering. Wild sheep stayed in herds and their predators - like predators worldwide- would pick off the weak, the young, the old, the sick. They survived. Once sheep became domesticated and used in herds and became a great commodity they needed shepherding they couldn't be left to the wild to wander on their own, to face predators by themselves. The shepherd made sure the sheep had food to eat, pastures to graze in. They made sure they had water to drink, and that they were kept as safe as possible. When the Lord tells us He is the Good Shepherd He is telling us that HE is the one that can protect us, feed us, make sure have water - all SPIRITUALLY. Being HIS sheep we have to recognize Him as our Shepherd. When we recognize HIM s our Shepherd we can KNOW without DOUBT that He will care for all our spiritual needs. I say spiritual needs because too many people get caught up in the physical things believing that if God is for them they'll never hunger, they'll never thirst, they'll never be without proper clothing, but that's not true. A lot of people, God fearing people, Christians who love the Lord with all their hearts will go hungry and such. If we judge God's love for us based on what we receive in this life - even life sustaining things- then we are going to be very disappointed when we don't receive things we may truly need to live.  If we judged God's love by His giving us good health, good food, good clothes etc, by His taking care of our loved ones then we will find God on the wrong side of things and not a good Shepherd at all.  Yet, HE is our Good Shepherd and He will care for ALL our spiritual needs. He will make eternal life available to us no matter our existence in this world now. Our Spiritual Shepherd, we must HEAR His voice, we must listen to our Shepherd and follow wherever He leads. Following the Good Shepherd, knowing He leads us to eternal existence down a spiritual road is what we must do as His sheep.  All by His love, His grace, His mercy now and forever!!!!!!!

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