THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
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Two men were crossing a field while doing a survey of some land. A big bull began chasing them. One man ran up a tree, the other jumped in a deep hole in the side of a hill. The bull rushed by and missed them both.
Just then, the man in the hole came running out. The other called from his tree, and said, "Don't leave your hiding place yet! Get back in there!"
The other man said, "I can't! There's a BEAR in the hole!"
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John 10:1-5
1 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.
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
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We, who are "sheep" of Jesus' pasture are sometimes like those two men, just going from one place of trouble to another!
There are some comforting thoughts in this Scripture for Jesus' sheep.
First there is the SHEPHERD. That's our Lord, Jesus Christ. All other religious leaders try to come in over or under the fence. In other words, they came (or come) by a LIE. But Jesus came by the TRUTH, the "door!" He came to conquer our trouble. He came to where sin really hurts - death! Jesus came to conquer the consequences of sin. And He entered that "door" for you and me. Three days later, Jesus arose victorious over sin and death! He is the SHEPHERD!
Second, there is the PORTER. The porter of a sheepfold, keeps the sheep at night in a protected environment. Before the shepherd puts the sheep in the sheepfold for night, he inspects the sheep and tends to them if they are hurt. The porter will only allow the true shepherd to retrieve his sheep in the morning. God is the "Porter." Jesus is the only One Who can place the sheep in God's care. And God will allow Jesus ONLY to retrieve the sheep. When it comes time to retrieve the Christian sheep, Jesus will come - no one ELSE!
Third, those sheep are TRAINED. Sheep are trained to listen to the sound of their own shepherd. They will not follow another man, for they are used to listening to the sound of that one shepherd.
Now sheep will sometimes wonder off of their own volition. And sometimes they will fall in a ditch and become "cast," unable to stand without help from the shepherd. Our Shepherd, Jesus, always comes looking for His sheep, calling to them. He will find them and help them return to the fold.
One day, the True Shepherd will come for His sheep, and will take them to their final pasture - heaven. He will call, and the trained sheep will answer!
Are you TRAINING by LISTENING?
Love ya,
Bruce