THE GOOD SHEPHERD
Today’s Reading: John 10
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).
It was a joy to observe the care and interaction between this shepherd and his sheep and goats in the recreation of Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown, as it may have been in the first century.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.
Key Verse: John 10:11
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
A relationship is obvious in the picture above. Gather around our Good Shepherd and enjoy His company. Jesus is our Friend, our Provider, our Comforter, and He calls Himself, “the Door.” Shepherds literally became the door every night. The sheep slept in a cave, and the shepherd would lie down across the opening as their protector. We are His sheep. No enemy will be able to destroy us. He bears the attack. He is our Protector and Deliverer. Our Shepherd has already given His life for us and is alive forevermore. We need fear no evil. He has already overcome the evil one and won victory over death and hell. He promises that we will know His voice. We should take time right now to listen. We’ll hear that still small Voice of our loving Shepherd. He has a message of love, peace, and hope. Psalm 27 ends with the words, “Wait on the Lord.” We may want to read this entire Psalm (click here).
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, Slow me down so that the pace of modern life won’t get in the way of my relationship with You. Because of Your Presence, I am filled with courage and my heart is strengthened. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
Several readers responded to my blog the other day with a request for the rest of the story. Avedis from Armenia was one who asked me to do this. Check back to October 23rd for the first part of the story in my “100 Personal Words” portion.
I was told this story when I was in the Armenian Socialist Soviet Republic delivering equipment for a children’s hospital following the devastating earthquake there in 1988. There was disunity amongst the churches in the region. The Pastors of the Baptist and Pentecostal churches had been arrested following their Sunday night services. As they sat in the cell, the warden arrived with another prisoner. It was the Patriarch of the Armenian Orthodox Church. They sat in silence for a time when the Patriarch spoke. He said, “I was the leader of the young communists when I was in my thirties. I had an encounter with Jesus Christ and He transformed my life. I arranged your arrest with the authorities. It was the only way I could get your attention. I beg you to stop attacking me. I want to win people to Jesus just as much as you do. We’ve got to work together to win Armenians to Jesus.” They’ve been helping each other ever since. The two Armenian priests, who were sent by the Patriarch to study with us here in Canada, graduated with the highest marks in the history of our School of Broadcasting. We have graduates in over 80 countries who help share the Good News of Jesus on TV and radio. Therefore, what the Patriarch said includes you and me; “We’ve got to work together.”
Yours for the call to “work together” to reach the world with the best News ever heard,
David
Great scripture, message, and prayer, this morning. Wishing all saints a blessed day in the Lord. Know how much you are loved as family on this blog.
Blessed are those who listen to me,
watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.
For those who find me find life and receive favor from the Lord.
Proverbs 8:34-35 NIV
My Hope Is In You by Aaron Shust (Lyrics)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNZFctND4jY
Amen Beverlee!
What Is A Missionary? By Oswald Chambers
“A missionary is one sent by Jesus Christ as He was sent by God. The great dominant note is not the needs of men, but the command of Jesus. The source of our inspiration in work for God is behind, not before. The tendency to-day is to put the inspiration ahead, to sweep everything in front of us and bring it all out to our conception of success. In the New Testament the inspiration is put behind us, the Lord Jesus. The ideal is to be true to Him, to carry out His enterprises.
“Personal attachment to the Lord Jesus and His point of view is the one thing that must not be overlooked. In missionary enterprise the great danger is that God’s call is effaced by the needs of the people until human sympathy absolutely overwhelms the meaning of being sent by Jesus. The needs are so enormous, the conditions so perplexing, that every power of mind falters and fails. We forget that the one great reason underneath all missionary enterprise is not first the elevation of the people, nor the education of the people, nor their needs; but first and foremost the command of Jesus Christ — “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations.”
“When looking back on the lives of men and women of God the tendency is to say — “What wonderfully astute wisdom they had! How perfectly they understood all God wanted!” The astute mind behind is the Mind of God, not human wisdom at all. We give credit to human wisdom when we should give credit to the Divine guidance of God through childlike people who were foolish enough to trust God’s wisdom and the supernatural equipment of God.”
As My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you. —John 20:21
My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers
Yes, Beverlee, thank you for sharing
“Except they should be like little children….’We must learn to believe as when we were little children.
His faith must be very strong for his mind is very clear and ‘astute’.His words inspire me to emulate him.
Thank you for sharing,Beverlee.God bless
God bless you, Irene and Bill!
Thank you, Ron and Ann, for all the work and time you put in to keeping 100words going. and thank you to the Crossroads family for all you do to keep the Lord’s name before the people of Canada and the world.
This message today is so timely and also so timeless. We need to hear it.
Praise God for giving us this daily bread and for inspiring everyone who is ready to follow His will to keep 100words and Crossroads working to advance His kingdom.
You are a blessing to us.
Thank you to the family on this blog for you support encouragement and love.
You are in my prayers.
Wow are the words of my wife as we read this together each morning thank you for the fuel of Jesus.
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus,
O for grace to trust Him more!
https://youtu.be/-DdgkvnsHjM
Thankful for all those faithful ones who loved God and people. May we follow in those same paths. In Jesus’s name, amen
Amen, Rob!
Jesus said to his disciples:”If they are not against us,they are for us….”
I love this factual story about the ‘Armenian Encounter’…the meeting of the minds.The Lord must have been in that prison too.Yasll be blessed
Yall be blessed….I love that southern slang.
Amen William
Another wonderful story from David ! ❤
I have a question: what does verse 34 mean…”Is it not written in your law, ‘I have said you are gods’ . If he called them ‘gods’, to whom the word of God came….’?
Hi Tina, I’m not sure either what verse 34 is all about. The message is about the sheep knowing their masters voice. The Pharisees did not understand this.
Charles Spurgeon: “The truth that we are sinners is painfully with us to make us humble and make us watchful.”
Blessings dear saints on this glorious day!
Amen, Lynda!
Wonderful writings by David and posts by fellow bloggers. Thank you for sharing.
Amen, Ger!
Yes, Amen Ger, David’s story truly story about the Baptist Pastor and the Armenian Patriarch, is very interesting.
I also reread the first part posted on Oct. 23rd.
Great scripture about the shepherd and his sheep. Thank you Reynold for the photo of the shepherd and his sheep!!
We are His sheep, Praise His holy Name!
Thank you Ron and Ann for posting the daily manna.