MY SHEEP
Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 34-35
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
Sheep grazing in Israel. There are two sheep dogs in this picture. One is up front. Can you find the other one among the sheep. Someone has suggested that “goodness and mercy” are the two sheep dogs of Psalm 23, charged with protecting the sheep. In today’s reading, Ezekiel 34, God promises to gather, feed and care for His people as a shepherd would his sheep.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verses: Ezekiel 34:11, 13
For thus says the Lord God: “Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and search them out…And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land; I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys and in all the inhabited places of the country.”
Because of unfaithful and self-centred leaders, the shepherds of Israel, God’s people, have fallen into the hands of their enemies and have been scattered, and the land God gave them has been desecrated. In Ezekiel 34, God, through Ezekiel, rebukes the leaders. They were to lovingly guide and build the nation in a responsible manner. The opposite was true. This resulted in God backing off until the offending generation of “shepherds” had passed off the scene, and new leaders such as Daniel, Ezra, and Nehemiah became the shepherds of Israel. God, Himself, assures those in Babylonian captivity, through Ezekiel, that He personally will be their Shepherd, bringing them back to good pasture on the mountains of Israel. Ezekiel reminds the people of the great shepherd king, David, who had died hundreds of years before. There is a descendant of David who referred to Himself as “The Good Shepherd!” Read John 10:11-15 for a New Testament meditation.
Ezekiel 35 shows God’s desire to turn around for good the people of Mt. Seir. These are Edomites, descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob (whose name God changed to “Israel”). Edom, too, shall know Who is the true Shepherd…”that I am the Lord” (35:15b).
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, as one of Your sheep, I pray that I will, as Jesus said, recognize Your voice and follow You closely. I’m experiencing Your promised “showers of blessing!” (34:26b). May I never stray away from You, Good Shepherd. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
I first heard of Eric Metaxas when I became aware of his work as the writer of Veggie Tales, a children’s video series. Next, I read his book Amazing Grace on the story of William Wilberforce, the man God used to free the slaves throughout the British Empire. The publication of this book brought him to Canada as a guest on the 100 Huntley Street program. Again, he traveled to Canada for a TV appearance rearding his book, Bonhoeffer, the German Pastor who stood up to Hitler and exposed the evils of his regime. There is a USA version of 100 Huntley Street, which features Eric as a regular host (click here if you missed it). Tomorrow, God willing, I’ll introduce a young lady who is hosting with Eric. Click here for more about Eric.
Yours for communicating the Good News of Jesus in the most effective way possible to new generations of precious never-dying souls, all of whom need Jesus,
David
P.S. Check out Eric’s books (click here).
from Wednesday’s prayer request: praying for healing of Anna’s mom and dad, that they have found a safe car, and that a CD of the Bible was found for the parents to listen to the Word of God! thank God for keeping them safe! Also praying for healing for Doreen’s daughter-in-law Anne.
met a gal at the pool Amanda, she has a heart condition, she would not survive through surgery, she just moved here and had a job before she even moved! She is a Christian, she is 22 years old, one of the valves of the heart was deformed from birth! I pray and believe that God can take that valve and heal it and that would allow the blood to flow evenly in and out of her heart! I also realized that over the past 21 years that 90% of the people I have met at the pool are Christians! and lastly please pray for our leaders!
I pray God is with our Prime Minister as he visits with his family the President of the United States and his family! It has been 19 years since there was a state dinner!
I am sure everyone had heard of Donald Trump! Please pray for him also! We do not know what God has in store for this man and his family, but I give him credit for running for the next President of the United States!
He says things that many people are thinking! He is very wealthy and I am sure he knows the dark side of the power of money! He is a husband and a father and I believe that he loves his children very much and that they know that their dad is there for them no matter what happens!
May God bless everyone this day!
Thanks, Sah, and all for prayers for Anne. She did have a moment in the procedure where she stopped breathing but they successfully got her back on track. Thanks so much. We prayed yesterday at a Bible study at our pastor’s home for the American Elections and all that is going on there right now. May God’s Will be done in the selection of President. May the young woman with the heart problem find healing in God.
Praising the the Lord for continued answered prayers! Mom and Dad are continuing to show improvement each day, they are going to the Dr. today for a check up and Mom thinks she has just ordered the Bible on CD for Dad in January. God is so good. Thank you blog buddies for your prayers, I shared with my mom that they were being lifted up in prayer and she was moved with tears with gratitude. Praying for all to have a blessed day.
dear sweet Anna! Your making many people tear up also! What a blessing for your parents to come closer to the Lord! It is truly amazing what God does to get our attention!
May the Word of God bless your parents and everyone else!
“Jesus did it all, He washed me white as snow!” amen
Eric is a great choice. If you want to youtube “Socrates in the City”, you can see some great programs that he hosts. Looking forward to seeing those programs!
Thanks for that link, Sherry! Have a blessed day, dear sister-in-Christ!
The other dog is with the back sheep…only his head is visible!! I don’t believe dog are the goodness and mercy spoken of in Psalm 23…but they certainly do well at protecting the sheep from the enemy.
What a beautiful sight of peace the photo is. All is well! Thanks Reynold.
How comforting the Promise God makes in this morning’s key verse. He Himself will search for His sheep, feed them and bring them to their land!!!
I too as one of His sheep…prayed this morning’s personal prayer with you, David: that I would hear and recognize Your voice Jesus and follow You!! Thank you Lord for the showers of blessing you pour out on me! May I be a blessing to those you put in my path this day. Amen!!
Thank you Lord for this Glorious Day…I choose to rejoice and be glad in it!!
Thank you Pastor David for the Link on Eric Metaxas. After watching the introduction by your Son Ron and Moira Brown, and reading the Eric’s Biography. I clicked on the link “The National Prayer Breakfast, Feb 2012”.
What a powerful message Eric presented on the difference between biblical Christianity and phony, dead Religion. Speaking boldly from his heart and convictions. Ending with having everyone join him in singing “Amazing Grace”.
Thanks also for the link and introducing Eric and April Hernandez and their US 100Huntley.com. I enjoyed seeing them on your program a few years ago.
When I see the photo of the sheep, I think of the song, “I am the lamb that the shepherd left the flock for, I was out in the cold all alone, And then My Jesus found me, placed His arms around me, And now I’m not alone any more.” Prayed your prayer David. Thank you for the exhortation yesterday Beverlee. Would appreciate your prayers today. Thanks dear saints!
Lord God, in the Name of Jesus I prayer for Your Highest and Best to fill Ger’s life with all that is of you and is needed in her life. I pray for Your anointing oil to flow through her in every part of her body, soul and spirit. Thank you Jesus, Amen!!
Thanks Irene, I sure appreciate that prayer. My youngest brother I requested prayer for a while back came out of the hospital soon after you prayed for him and they are still running tests on him. He said that the reason he improved so quickly was because of prayer. I was very pleased with his statement of faith and thank you so much for your faithful prayers everyone. I wasn’t free to post this before.