Poor guy. He wandered from his herd and wasn’t shorn for about five years. When they captured him, they sheared 89 pounds of wool. He needed his shepherd.

Domesticated sheep

I’ve never been around sheep, but I’ve read that they:

Are prone to wander and go astray

Are easily lost in unfamiliar territory

Don’t know good from bad food

Sometimes can’t get up when they fall

Have to be regularly shorn

Don’t have defenses so have to be protected from predators

We are Sheep

Know that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.  (Psalm 100:3) 

We, like sheep, have gone astray

All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way.  (Isaiah 53:6)

We’re lost  (Matthew 10:6), scattered (1 Kings 22:17), distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.  (Matthew 9:36) 

Good Shepherds Tend the Sheep

I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you on knowledge and understanding.  (Jeremiah 3:15) 

Jesus called on Simon Peter to tend His lambs, shepherd His sheep, tend His sheep. (John 21:15–17) 

Church leaders are also called to shepherd the flock.

Bad Shepherds Feed  Themselves

Bad shepherds destroy and scatter the sheep  (Jeremiah 23:1), lead them astray, (Jeremiah 50:6), let them wander and become afflicted (Zechariah 10:2). 

Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?  (Ezekiel 34:2) 

The Great Shepherd of the Sheep

The Great Shepherd of the Sheep, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 13:20):

Searches and seeks His sheep. (Ezekiel 34:11) 

Cares for and delivers His scattered sheep. (Ezekiel 34:12) 

Teaches His sheep.  (Mark 6:34) 

Feeds His flock and leads them to rest. (Ezekiel 34: 15)

Lays down His life for the sheep.  (John 10:11)

“I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest,” declares the Lord God. “I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with judgment.” (Ezekiel 34:15–16) 

We, believers, have the Great Shepherd 

Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.  (Luke 12:32) 

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23:1–6) 

Rejoice! Praise! Give Thanks!

Almighty God created us.

As Creator, He has the right to tell us how to live.

We are to meet His holy standard.

But we don’t. We sin against God.

The penalty for our rebellion is eternal torment.

But God loves us and provides a way to escape His justifiable wrath.

God sent Jesus Christ to die in our place.

If we repent and believe in Christ and God who raised Him from the dead, we will be saved and have eternal life.

If we don’t believe, we die in our sins and face eternal torment.

When we believe, we are given the Holy Spirit who is a pledge of our inheritance.

We are born to a living hope, guaranteed glory, heaven, inheritance with Christ, and being made holy and blameless.

And we are given help in this world to live an increasingly life, being made into the image of Christ.

Blessed is the one whose God is the Lord.

Hallelujah!

Press on! 

Easter Hope

Jesus Christ, in whom we believe and trust, has risen. Alleluia!

Our Lord’s resurrection gives us living hope and guarantees His promises to us.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3–5)

God-given hope is a pledge to us by Almighty God, something given without reservation. It is a living, never dying, hope. We wait, but we wait for what definitely will come to pass.  (See Our Hope.)

Easter Hope is real

Because Christ was raised from the dead, our Easter hope includes:

We have eternal life. Because I live, you shall live also. (John 14:19)

We have a place in heaven. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2)

We will be holy and blameless, presented to the Father by Jesus Christ. (Colossians 1:22)

We will be joint heirs with Christ. (Romans 8:17; Titus 3:7)

We will be glorified. (Romans 8:30)

Act on Hope

These stupendous gifts are from God and must be believed and woven into our daily lives. We need to grab hold of these truths and be steadfast in our belief. We need to accept these truths mean us as those beloved of God.

Let’s pray that God enlightens the eyes of our hearts and gives us a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him (Ephesians 1:17). And that our lives reflect Easter Hope.

He is Risen!

Our Hope

Among Christians’ many blessings is hope!

A fundamental attitude among Christians should be hope.

Who is our hope in?

What do we hope for?

Hope in

We hope in God. We hope in Jesus Christ.

The God of hope.  (Romans 15:13)   

Christ Jesus, who is our hope.  (1 Timothy 1:1) 

Wishing or Waiting

When we talk about hope, sometimes we talk about what we want to happen, something we wish for. At times scripture does as well. For example,

I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long.  (1 Timothy 3:14) 

For I do not wish to see you now just in passing; for I hope to remain with you for some time, if the Lord permits. (1 Corinthians 16:7) 

But scripture shows that hope that is rested in God refers to what God has promised. Since God is sovereign, and cannot lie, all God’s promises are guaranteed. Our hope is for something God has assured but has not yet come. We are not wishing; we are waiting. We can be confident God’s future for us will come.

… it is impossible for God to lie… [so] take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast… (Hebrews 6:18-19) 

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23)

Hope for

Salvation

But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.  (1 Thessalonians 5:8) 

We have salvation now since we (Christians) are saved from the penalty of sin. We are in the process of being saved from the power of sin as we learn to walk after Christ. One day we will be saved from the presence of sin.

Righteousness

For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. (Galatians 5:5)

Inheritance 

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.  (Ephesians 1:18) 

Heaven/Eternal Life

… the hope laid up for you in heaven…  (Colossians 1:5) 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.  (Ephesians 1:3) 

Glory

God willed to make known [to the Saints] what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.  (Colossians 1:27) 

Hope in this world

God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren.  (Romans 8:28–29) 

And more!

I urge you to slowly review these six items. Each is guaranteed to us, believers in Christ. We are waiting for them to be fully accomplished.

Rejoice in hope  (Romans 12:12)

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

Exult in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:2)

How to realize your Hope

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  (1 Peter 1:13) 

~~~

Father, forgive me for when I am short on hope. I know You are faithful, that You are my Father. I believe Your word. Help me take hold of what You have promised. Help me be steadfast in trusting You, and help me apply Your guaranteed promises to my walk in this world.

Scared?

The current pandemic has spread rapidly, and causes illness and death. To respond, there are guidelines and orders for “social distancing,” self-quarantines, shelter-in-place, and many closures, and shortages. People have had to close their businesses. There are many lay-offs. The economy is hurting.

I’ve periodically been scared, and have learned that I’m not afraid of death, but I can be afraid of life.  

What is coming? How will I cope? Will I honor the Lord?

The Future

I do not know what is coming. But God does. And not only does Almighty God know what is coming, He is sovereign over everybody, everything, and all the time. He is our (believers) loving sovereign. (See When Storms Come: Will You Be Ready?)

Jesus pointed out that worry accomplishes nothing. 

And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?  (Matthew 6:27) 

Let Not

Scripture tells us not to fear, be anxious, worry, or be troubled. Instead we are to rejoice, pray, and give thanks.

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18) 

Instructions

Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.  (John 14:1) 

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.  (Matthew 6:33–34) 

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6–7) 

Results: Peace

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.  (John 14:27) 

We have choices

We can fear what is coming or we can believe God.

We can let ourselves be anxious or we can pray.

We can worry or seek His kingdom. 

As a habit, and before fear strikes, determine to review God’s promises for help and protection. Determined to remember His loving sovereignty. Determine to pray.

When you have fearful or anxious thoughts, change your thoughts to the truth about God. Substitute gratitude for worry.

Rejoice and give thanks.

Fallen World

We live in a fallen world.

Satan rebelled against God and now is prowling about seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

Humans—including you and me—rebelled against God. Our sins—past, present, and future—cause endless trouble for ourselves, others, and the world.

Through sin, death entered the world. (Romans 5:12)

Sin is rebellion against God, and earns the sinner death. (Romans 6:23)

But God

But God, because of His great love, gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  (John 3:16)

We, believers, rejoice that we are saved from the penalty of sin, are in the process of learning how to walk in newness of life (being saved from the power of death; sanctification), and, one day, will be saved from the presence of sin. Hallelujah.

But we still live in a fallen world where Satan is the ruler (John 12:31), and is working in the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2).

We are to expect trouble

We are to expect trouble.

And we have it.

Jesus tells us: In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.  (John 16:33)

What to do

We are to believe and trust in Almighty God, which brings us peace.

We are to pray about our anxieties, which brings us peace. (Philippians 4:6-7)

We are to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

We have new opportunities to tell others the gospel. Be ready. (1 Peter 3:15)

We can show others the blessing of knowing the Lord.

~~~

Father, in these trying times, please help us trust You for everything, moment by moment. Please help us speak and behave in ways that show others Your love and power. Please help us not be anxious, but pray about everything. And help us rejoice and give thanks. 

Praise in the Muddle

You are in a messy muddle with no end in sight.

If you are Christ’s follower, having received Him as your Lord and Savior, praise God in the middle of your muddle.

Here is a starter praise list:

Praise Him for now:

God saved you out of darkness and transferred you to Christ’s kingdom.

He is your loving Sovereign God.

He is with you, keeping His eye on You, guiding and helping.

The Holy Spirit dwells in you.

You are in Christ and Christ in you.

Your trial results in: 

• Endurance so that you may be perfect and complete (James 1:3); 
• Praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:7); 
• Perseverance, proven character, hope (Romans 5:3-4).

God is using your situation for good, making you into the image of Christ. (Romans 8:28-29)

Praise Him for eternity:

You will be in heaven with Him for eternity.

There will be no presence of sin, in you, in others, in heaven.

You will be holy and blameless.

You will receive rewards.

In the middle of your muddle:

You are, right now, beloved of God.

You have, right now, hope for eternity.

Praise Him!

Levels of Endurance

God calls us to endure. And He tells us about the rewards He gives us for endurance.

There are instructions about how to endure. See, for example, How to Get Through It, and Look Beyond.

I just realized today, though, that there are different levels of endurance. We can be better or worse at enduring what God gives us. 

Just like learning to please God, and learning to walk in a manner worthy of our calling, we need to learn how to endure.

There are at least three stages:

Resignation

Sometimes we might just grit our teeth and passively wait it out.

We continue to believe, read the Bible, and pray. But our circumstances are in control.

Pressing On

We may be aware that God is with us in our situation, and look for opportunities He gives us to grow and testify about His loving purposes.

We’re not passive, but “fight the good fight.” We press on.

Joyfully Enduring

There is a third level.

Paul joyfully endured his trials. 

We exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations …  (Romans 5:2–3)

Where are we?

I confess I am generally in the “Pressing On” stage, but too often just resigned. I’ve known the verses about considering trials with joy, but I’ve thought of trials as short term. “Endurance” implies long term and I’d never linked “Joy” to “Endurance.”  

Well, I’m growing.

~~~

Father, thank You for showing me I need to learn to be joyful in endurance. Help me give You thanks in everything. Help me honor You with my thoughts, words, and deeds.