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