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. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. John 10:1-5
Sheep
Day 354 – What Do I Want For Christmas?
What do I want for Christmas?
I want to not want or lack anything that God has for me; and for all who will walk with Him.
Hear the heart of David;
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints!
There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.” Psalm 34:8-10 (NKJV)
Jesus, The Good Shepherd
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before Me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 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. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep. 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. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine. As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down My life for the sheep. 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. Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. 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.” ~Jesus (John 10:7-18)
In The Father’s Hand
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.” John 10:27-30 (KJV)
When you are known by the Good Shepherd, and you know Him; you are known and secured by the hand of the Father.
-T.A.
The King and the Sheep
The King Meets the Need of the Sheep
“And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:35-38 (KJV).
Jesus has gone through the cities and villages and taught and preached and given healing, deliverance from the evil of demons. Yet, he looks with compassion on all and sees a great multitude in need. He sees them as being in need of a shepherd. They have no shepherd. Jesus sees a “Harvest”, a time for reaping, and bringing in the crops. This harvest represents people who are ready to be delivered from their condemned status. Their sins weigh heavy on them and they are eager to trust Jesus as their Savior, their Deliverer.
Multitudes of people stand awaiting judgment from our holy and righteous God. How will they stand before Him? On the right hand or on the left hand? Does it make a difference? It seems to make a difference according to Matthew 25:33 – “And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.” (NKJV); “Then He will say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels…” (Matthew 25:41 NKJV).
The abundance of the harvest exceeds the sufficiency of the laborers. Jesus says, “Pray for laborers for the harvest”. One cannot sincerely pray for laborers without eventually realizing they are being sent. This word “Sent” can mean; to thrust out. Awakened to the need; out of our comforts; out of our apathy; out of our complacency. We ought to be praying that we lose everything that hinders us from being laborers to a people who are on the wrong end of God’s judgment. A double barrel, twelve gauge shotgun is a wonderful instrument; unless you are on the wrong end of it. The same with the judgment of God. The only way of being on the right end of His judgment is to be in Christ Jesus.
A Protector of Sheep
We are all friends of protectors. I had never heard of the following breed of dog which protects sheep and saves sheep farmers money. The story is from FACTS AND FALLACIES printed by Reader’s Digest.
IT IS LATE ONE NIGHT, and in the pasture the flock is restless. Somewhere out in the darkness a coyote lurks, scenting his prey, creeping closer for the kill. Suddenly the silence is shattered by wild barking. A huge dog with a shaggy coat bounds in the direction of the predator, who turns and runs. The sheep are safe from attack.
Their comical-looking savior is no ordinary sheepdog but a komondor. The breed is being employed by sheep farmers in the United States to tackle the economic threat posed by coyotes: the loss of 10 percent of a flock every year.
Guarding the flock
Coyotes used to be controlled by a poison called Compound 1080. But in 1972 the government banned the substance because it harmed other wildlife. Since then the coyote population has increased significantly, and alternative methods of control have proved ineffective, expensive, and time-consuming — until the arrival of the komondor. The dog’s fierce territorial instincts make it ideal for protecting sheep.
An ancient working breed, native to Hungary, the komondor has a long white corded coat, stands about two feet high, and weighs approximately 100 pounds. It is powerful and fast on its feet. Because it is devoted to its master and intensely protective is is used to guard flocks rather than herd them.
Since the late 1970’s these qualities have proved invaluable to farmers. Part of the komondor’s training is to introduce it to sheep while the dog is still young, so that it learns to treat the flock as its own.
Although expensive to purchase, komondors save farmers money in the long run — and help to save the environment too.
From FACTS AND FALLACIES by Reader’s Digest, p. 66. 1988.
As Christians it is great to know that we have a Protector, and Keeper. He has been with us since the beginning and He will let no harm come to us for eternity. He is on gurard 24/7, and He loved us so much He died on a cross for our salvation.
We were once like sheep headed for the slaughter, and He came and delivered us. Praise the name of Jesus, the Shepherd of the flock.
The Fire and Hammer 