SHEEP

Scripture Reading - John 10:2-5

2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. KJV

Notice in these verses that God is very interested in leading us: First we must agree that there is only one Shepherd. The Perfect Shepherd of the sheep is Jesus and we are the sheep of His pasture according to Psalm 100:3. The primary reason we are certain that we are following the Good Shepherd is because we hear His Voice. The voice of the Wise Shepherd is the sound of God’s Word. One may ask, “What does the voice of the Lord sound like?” However, all they need to do is speak His Word out loud with their own mouth and they will hear the Voice of God. This is because the Voice of the Lord will always speak God’s Word while the sound of God’s Voice will vary according to the personal traits of the speaker. The content will never change but the tone and the volume will vary because the teacher and the preacher can say the same thing with different presentations. The Lord will give you specific instructions for your personal life based upon the foundation of the Holy Scriptures. God’s principles and precepts will come to you through a variety of ways, when you recognize His Signs (His Signature). The Key is checking out the Word of God first to see what the Lord has already stated through the holy men and women of God in the bible. You must realize dear child of God there really is nothing new under the sun according to Ecclesiastes 1:9. Knowing the New Testament writings of the Holy Bible places you in the proper position to be led by the Spirit of God. Remember according to verse 4; the Lord goes before us, therefore we must know where He is going and be with Him when He is planning to leave. Following a specific person does not happen automatically but with purpose, careful attention and humbleness of mind. We should never blindly follow someone we don’t know well, nor is it wise to follow the ways of this world. Therefore get to know the Shepherd Jesus through the reading and study of God’s Word. Fellowshipping intimately with Jesus is to acquaint yourself with the Loving Shepherd of all “sheep” because the sooner you can recognize the Lord the easier it will be to identify “a stranger”. The instant you notice (see, know) “a stranger” cease from following them by removing your time, efforts and attention away from them because good “sheep” only follow the Good Shepherd, named Jesus. Amen!