Well….you may be like me and wondering what in the world does this have to do with us as humans.  Those were my exact sentiments.  I think you will be just as amazed as I was when you see the deeper meaning here.

In order for sheep to lie down and rest, four requirements must be met.  The unique aspect of the picture is that it is only the sheepman (shepherd) who can provide for these requirements.  The health, stability and survival of the entire flock all depends on the shepherd.  It is actually he who makes it possible for them to lie down, to rest, to relax, to be content and quiet and flourishing.  Let’s look at these requirements one by one.

1.  Owing to their timidity they refuse to lie down unless they are free of all fear.  You may not know that sheep are very timid and panicky.  Just one site of the smallest unexpected creature popping out and the entire herd will stampede.  When one startled sheep runs in fright a dozen others will bolt with it in blind fear, not waiting to see what frightened them.  In Phillip Keller’s book, A Shepherd Looks at the 23rd Psalm, he tells of his horrifying experience as a shepherd when he awoke and went out to check on his flock and found nine of his choicest ewes, all soon to lamb, lying dead in the field where a cougar had harried the flock during the night.  He says after that experience he slept with a .303 rifle and flashlight by his bed and at the least sound of the flock being disturbed he would jump out of bed calling his faithful collie and rush out to protect his sheep.  One of the things that he soon learned through his experiences was that nothing so quieted and reassured the sheep as to see him in the field.  WOW!!  That is incredible.  The presence of their master and owner and protector put them at ease as nothing else could do, and this applied day and night.  In the Christian’s life there is no substitute for the keen awareness that my shepherd is nearby.  There is nothing that dispels the fear, the panic, the terror of the unknown.  It is the work of the Holy Spirit that makes known to us the presence of our Good Shepherd.  He comes quietly to reassure us that Christ Himself is aware of our dilemma and deeply involved in it with us.

2 Timothy 1:7 “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”

2.  Because of the social behavior within the flock, sheep will not lie down unless they are free from friction with other of their kind.  Believe it or not there in the fold lies tension, rivalry, and cruel competition.  Just as there is the “pecking order” among chickens and the “horning order” among cattle, there is a “butting order” among sheep.  It is usually the arrogant, cunning, and domineering old ewe that will be the boss in the flock.  This ewe will maintain position of prestige by butting and driving other ewe’s or lambs away from the best grazing or favorite bedgrounds.  Succeeding this one in precise order the other sheep all establish and maintain their exact position in the flock by using the same tactics of butting and thrusting at those below and around them.  Because of this rivalry, tension and competition for status and self-assertion, there is friction in the flock.  The sheep cannot lie down and rest in contentment.  Always they must stand up and defend their rights and contest the challenge of the intruder.  Again, it is the presence of the Shepherd that will attract the attention of the sheep and they will forget their foolish rivalries and stop their fighting.  Occasionally the shepherd must use his staff and discipline the older ewes and we will see more of that in the phrase, “His rod and staff, they comfort me.”

We are just as these sheep.  The struggle for self-assertion and self-recognition goes on and on.  Most of us fight to be “top sheep”.  We butt and quarrel and compete to “get ahead” and in the process we hurt ourselves and others.  I’m remembering what James said in chapter 4 verses 1-3

“What is causing the quarrels and fights among you?  Isn’t it the whole army of evil desires at war within you?  You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it.  You are jealous for what others have, and you can’t possess it, so you fight and quarrel to take it away from them.  And yet the reason you don’t have what you want is that you don’t ask God for it.  And when you do ask, you don’t get it because your whole motive is wrong – you want only what will give you pleasure. (NLT)

We must remember that when our eyes are on our Master they are not on those around us.  This is a place of peace.  In the end it is he who will decide and judge what my status really is.  After all, it is His estimation of me that is of consequence.  Any human measurement at best is bound to be pretty unpredictable, unreliable, and far from final.  So, to be close to Him, conscious of His abiding Presence, made real in my mind, emotions, and will by the indwelling gracious Spirit, is to be set free from fear of my fellow-man and whatever he might think of me.  I would much rather have the affection of the Good Shepherd than occupy a place of prominence in society….especially if I had attained it by fighting, quarreling, and bitter rivalry with my fellow human beings.

“Blessed [happy, to be envied] are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy”.  Matt. 5:7

3.  If tormented by flies or parasites, sheep will not lie down.  This is essential to the contentment of sheep.  As we know it is in the summertime that flies are at their worst.  During this time sheep can be driven to absolute frustration by nasal flies, bot flies, warble flies and ticks.  They can not rest when tormented with these pests.  They are up on their feet stomping their legs, shaking their heads, ready to rush off into the bush for relief from their pests.  Again, we see that it is the diligent care of the shepherd who must keep a constant look out over his flock to know when they are being harassed.  A good shepherd will take swift action and use the application of insect repellents on the sheep.  He will also see that they are dipped to clear their fleeces of ticks.  He will also make sure that there are shelter belts of trees and bush available where they can find refuge and release from their tormentors.  All of this entails extra care and expense on the part of the shepherd.  The primary purpose in the shepherd’s mind is the aim of keeping his flock quiet, contented, and at peace.

Similarly in the Christian life there are bound to be many small irritations.  There are the annoyances of petty frustrations and ever-recurring disagreeable experiences.  What is the antidote?  Can any of us come into quietness and contentment despite them?

The answer for the Christian is “YES”!  This is one of the main functions of the Holy Spirit.  In Scripture, the Holy Spirit is often symbolized by oil-by that which brings healing and comfort and relief from the harsh and abrasive aspects of life.  The gracious Holy Spirit makes real in me the very presence of Christ.  He brings quietness, serenity, strength, and calmness in the face of frustrations and futility.  When I turn to Him and expose the problem to Him, allowing Him to see that I have a dilemma, a difficulty beyond my control, He comes to assist.  Often a helpful approach is simply to voice aloud, “Master, this is beyond me-I can’t cope with it-it’s bugging me-I can’t rest-please take over!”  He does in His own wonderful way.  He applies the healing, soothing, effective antidote of His own person and presence to my particular problem.  There immediately comes into my consciousness the awareness of His dealing with the difficulty in a way I had not anticipated.  And because of the assurance that He has become active on my behalf, there steals over me a sense of quiet contentment.  I am then able to lie down in peace and rest.  ALL BECAUSE OF WHAT HE DOES!  If you notice here….there are no “three points and a poem”.  There is nothing that you do other than call out to Him and He does the rest.  He is a Good Shepherd!

4.  The fourth and final requirement that must be met for sheep to lie down and rest is they must be free from a feeling of hunger.  In the areas of the country that are known as great sheep countries of the world there is a dry, semi-arid climate.  This happens to be the very best climate for sheep to flourish.  They are susceptible to fewer hazards of health or parasites where the climate is dry.  But it is very interesting that these regions are not natural places to find lush, green pastures.  David kept his sheep near Bethlehem which is a dry, brown, sun-burned wasteland.

These green pastures that the sheep so desperately need did not just happen by chance,  Green pastures were the product of tremendous labor, time, and skill in land use.  In order for green pastures to be made the shepherd must go in ahead of time and clear rough, rocky land, tear out brush and roots and stumps; he must plow deep and carefully develope the soil and make it ready for seeding and planting special grains and legumes.  Then there is also the matter of irrigating with water with careful, watch of the crops of forage that would feed the flocks.  To top it off he must also have several pastures prepared for his sheep. 

 All of this represents tremendous toil and skill and time for the careful shepherd.  If his sheep were going to enjoy green pastures amid the brown, barren hills, it meant he had a tremendous job to do.  But these pastures are essential to the welfare of the sheep.  Even when lambs are maturing and the ewes need green, succulent feed for a heavy mild flow, there is no substitute for good pasturage.  Incidently…no sight so satisfies the shepherd as to see his flock well and quietly fed to repletion on rich green forage, able to lie down to rest, ruminate, and gain.

Now, a hungry, ill-fed sheep is ever on its feet, on the move, searching for another scanty mouthful of forage to try and satisfy its gnawing hunger.  These sheep are not contented, they do not thrive, they are of no use to themselves nor to their owners.  One shepherd described it as, “…they languish and lack vigor and vitality.” 

What is the application for us as Christians here?  Well, focus now your attention on the “Promised Land” that God mentioned in Scripture.  This is the land that God worked so hard to lead Israel to from Egypt.  This land was described to the children of Israel as a land “flowing with milk and honey.”  When studying the scientific technology involved in agriculture you will find that this term ”a land flowing with mild and honey” is not only figurative language but also scientific terminology.  In agricultural terms they speak of a ”milk flow” and ”honey flow”.  By this they mean the peak season of spring and summer when pastures are at their most productive stages.  The livestock that feed on the forage and the bees that visit the blossoms are said to be producing a corresponding “flow” of milk or honey.  So a land flowing with milk and honey is a land of rich, green luxuriant pastures.

When God spoke of such a land for Israel He also foresaw such an abundant life of joy and victory and contentment for His people.  For the child of God, the Old Testament account of Israel moving from Egypt into the Promised Land is a picture of us moving from sin into the life of overcoming victory.  We are promised such a life.  It has been provided for us and is made possible by the unrelenting effort of Christ on our behalf.

Picture this…He works to clear the life of rocks of stony unbelief.  How He tries to tear out the roots of bitterness.  He attempts to break up the hard, proud human heart that is set like sun-dried clay.  He then sows the seed of His own precious Word, which, if given half a chance to grow, will produce rich crops of contentment and peace.  He waters this with the dews and rain of His own presence by the Holy Spirit.  He tends and cares and cultivates the life, longing to see it become rich and green and productive.  All of this shows the unrelenting energy and industry of an owner who wishes to see his sheep satisfied and well fed.  It really shows that my Shepherd’s desire is to see my best interests served.  His concern for my care is beyond my comprehension, really.  At best all I can do is to enjoy and revel in what He has brought into effect.

Now, this life of quiet overcoming, of happy repose, of rest in His presence, of confidence in His management is something few Christians ever fully enjoy.  Why?  I think it is because of our own stubbornness and perverseness we often prefer to feed on the barren ground of the world around us.  We don’t want to take the time to open ourselves up to our Good Shepherd and let Him do the work in our hearts to bring this about so we go off on our own looking for spiritual forage to satisfy our deep inner longings.  For those who do long for those pastures, there they will find peace and plenty.

Psalm 63:1-8  

“O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you.  My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. 

I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory.  Your unfailing love is better to me than life itself; how I praise you! 

I will honor you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer.  You SATISFY me more than the richest of foods.  I will praise you with songs of joy. 

I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night.  I think how much you have helped me; I sing for joy in the shadow of your protecting wings.  I follow close behind you; your strong right hand holds me securely.”  

Thank you, my Abba Father!

Dana

In the 23rd Psalm, the Phrase, ”I Shall Not Want”….. have you ever given that phrase much thought?  I must admit that I have thought about it some but maybe not to the degree that I should have.  In my study on the 23rd Psalm I have found some intriguing things that I would like to share with you.

The Word “want” here actually has a broader meaning than one might imagine.  No doubt the main concept is that of not lacking but can we really know what David was referring to here as he was a shepherd of sheep for many years as well.  It was discovered here that a broader meaning is that of being utterly contented in the Good Shepherd’s care and consequently not craving or desiring anything more.

We can be sure that David was not really speaking of a materialistic or financial means because we find him experiencing extreme, intense personal poverty and acute hardship and adversity at times in his life.  One would recall as David was on the run from Saul in his early years and again as being estranged and on the run from his own son Absalom.  Just recently in the Ladies Bible study that I teach on Wednesday mornings we looked at the passage in Revelation 3.  We focused in on Rev. 3:17 that states, “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’  But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”  Wow…there is it in Scripture that we can posses all that this world affords us physically, materialistically, socially, and relational and I can still be wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked in a spiritual sense.  When these attributes characterize my spiritual life, my fascination and excitement with these earthly things will fail me and I will not be able to find peace and contentment deep within me even though all manner of things that this world can give me are scattered about in front of me.

So what exactly does he mean here?  I think David could be saying here, “I shall not want or lack the expert care and management of my Master.”  Who is your master?  Jesus himself even said that it is impossible to serve two master’s.  We will hate one and love the other.  It is important to understand who our master is and the significance of belonging to that master or shepherd.  One is a Good Shepherd and the other is an imposter.  The imposter cares nothing for his flock.  Because he doesn’t love and care for the sheep, they are weak, thin, impoverished, malnourished and sickly.  They are riddled with ticks, parasites, disease, and filth.  The imposter abandon’s them and leaves them to fend for themselves.  The imposter that I am speaking of here is our enemy Satan.  You know you belong to either him or Christ.  We are either children of darkness or children of Light, children of a scandalous imposter or children of the King….and the only thing scandalous about our King is His great affection and love for us.  There are no boundaries that will prevent Him from being all that a Good Shepherd is for us.  The Sheep under His care and management will never want or lack any good thing.

If you and I can entrust ourselves to Christ’s control and management we will find there a radiant, serene and joyous confidence and quiet joy that surmounts all the tragedies of our time.  We will find that contentment we long so for.  Which, incidently….Contentment should be the hallmark of the man or woman who has put his or her affairs in the hands of God.  The paradox we see though in our society is the intense fever of discontent among people who are ever speaking of security.  The very thing that they pursue with all their might believing that it will be the thing that provides security for them is the very thing that can be sucked right out from underneath them in a heartbeat.  My friend, Christ – the Good Shepherd is the only sure foundation upon which to build ones life.  Spend your energies, time, and resources pursing Him and He will fill you and you will never want again.

John 4:13-14 “Jesus replied, “People soon become thirsty again after drinking this water.  But the water I give them takes away thirst altogether.  It becomes a perpetual spring within them, giving them eternal life.” NLT

Who is your LORD?  Who do you worship or serve?  Do you know Him personally?  Do you fellowship with Him often?  How do you perceive Him?  Do you know anything about His character, His attributes, His Ways?  My LORD is Jesus Christ.  He is my Shepherd and a very good one too! 

Sometimes our view of Jesus is often too small, too cramped, too provincial, too human.  And because it is, we feel unwilling to allow Him to have authority or control – much less outright ownership of our lives.  We lack in trusting Him and being able to experience a walk of faith that we are called to because we don’t know who He is.  When looking at sheep management, the lot in life of any particular sheep depended on the type of man who owned it.  Some were gentle, kind intelligent, brave, and selfless in their devotion to their stock.  Under one management sheep would struggle, starve, and suffer endless hardship.  In another’s care they would flourish and thrive contentedly.  Under God’s care He invites me to consider myself His sheep – His special object of affection and attention. 

The relationships given to us to communicate how we are to relate to our Heavenly Father are that of a father and his children and of a Shepherd and his sheep.  These concepts were first conceived in the mind of God our Father.  They were made possible and practical through the work of Christ.  They are confirmed and made real in me and you through the agency of the Holy Spirit.

You and I were bought with a high price.  Not only did He create me but He bought me again at the incredible price of His own laid down life and shed blood.  Therefore He was entitled to say, “I am the good Shepherd.  The good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”  I belong to Him simple because He deliberately chose to create me as in the object of his own affection.  he literally lays Himself out for us continually.  He is ever interceeding for us; He is ever guiding us by His gracious Spirit; He is ever working on our behalf to ensure that we will benefit from His care.

An interesting mark of sheep is that they don’t “just take care of themselves” as some might suppose.  They require, more than any other class of livestock, endless attention and meticulous care.  It is no accident that God has chosen to call us sheep.  The behavior of sheep and human beings is similar in many ways.  Our mass mind or mob instincts, our fears and timidity, our stubbornness and stupidity, our perverse habits are all parallels of profound importance.  Yet despite these adverse characteristics Christ chooses us, buys us, calls us by name, makes us His own, and delights in caring for us.

If you know anything about real, live sheep management, you know that each shepherd has his own distinctive earmark which he cuts into one of the ears of his sheep.  In this way, even at a distance, it is easy to determine to whom the sheep belongs.  It is not the most pleasant procedure to catch each ewe in turn and lay her ear on a wooden block, then notch it deeply with the razor-sharp edge of the knife.  There was pain for both sheep and shepherd.  But from the mutual suffering an indelible lifelong mark of ownership was made that could never be erased.  And from then on every sheep that comes into that shepherd’s possession would bear that shepherd’s mark. 

There is an exciting parallel to this in the Old Testament.  When a slave in any Hebrew household chose, of his own free will, to become a lifetime member of that home, he was subjected to a certain ritual.  His master and owner would take him to his door, put his ear lobe against the door post and with an awl puncture a hole through the ear.  For then on he was a man marked for life as belonging to that house.  For the man or woman who recognizes the claim of Christ and gives allegiance to His absolute ownership, there comes the question of bearing His mark.  The mark of the cross is that which should identify us with Him for all time.  The question is – does it?

Jesus made it clear when he stated emphatically, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  Basically, A person exchanges the fickle fortunes of living life by sheer whimsy for the more productive and satisfying adventure of being guided by God.

Can you say as David did, “The Lord is my Shepherd!”  Are you thrilled to belong to Him?  It is then that we flourish and thrive no matter what life my bring to us.  Get to know your Good Shepherd!

Dana

This week I have fought some discouragement.  I know we are going to face it but I was not prepared for it and really was not focused on it until my husband started asking me some questions about it.  All the sudden it became my complete focus.  It started to monopolize  the rest of my week.  I knew that first off I needed to get some time alone and figure out what I was believing about myself in the midst of the situation.  Upon doing that God had another divine appointment for me.  At the last minute Tony and I ended up going to lunch with a friend of ours on Thursday that is also in ministry.  I did not say a whole lot about my discouragement until briefly mentioning it at the end of our time together.  He asked me a very good “Why” questions that really got me to thinking and based on my response it revealed to me what I was looking to for security.  God began to confirm in my spirit what I had been sensing Him to be saying the last several weeks to me.  What I need is Him – time with Him – focusing on Him – being with Him – Abiding in Him – Depending on Him.  That is the message of what we teach here is that we are to “exchange our life for Christ’s life, our strength for His strength”.  I am to seek to remember Christ is my life!

Psalm 62:1-2 “My soul waits in silence for God only; from Him is my salvation.  He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.” NASB

vs. 5-8 “My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him.  He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken.  On God my salvation and my glory rest; the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.  Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.” NASB

Psalm 63:1 “O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you.  My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.  I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory.  Your unfailing love is better to me than life itself; how I praise you!  I will honor you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer.  You satisfy me more than the richest of foods.  I will praise you with songs of joy.” NLT

vs. 8  ”I follow close behind you; your strong right hand holds me securely.” NLT

Lamentations 3:21-26 “This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope.  The LORD’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; Great is Thy faithfulness.  ‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘Therefore I have hope in Him.”  The LORD is good to those who wait fro Him, To the person who seeks Him.  It is good that he waits silently for the salvation of the LORD.” NASB

Dana

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,”

~Titus 2:11-12

Grace is much more than forgiveness for our sin.  It is what teaches us not to sin in the first place.  I have struggled with letting go of my incredibly legalistic way of living (my brand of flesh) because I’m afraid that if I don’t follow the rules, my life will begin to spin out of control.  I think this may be a common fear that keeps many people trapped in legalism.  We’re afraid that if we focus too much on grace, we’ll end up sinning more.  But the Truth is actually the opposite of what we think.  It’s the law that urges us to sin (Romans 7) and grace that teaches us not to.  Living by grace gets our self-effort in doing the right thing out of the way so that the Holy Spirit can produce His fruit in us–love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Rebecca

I Corinthians 2:9-14 “That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”  But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit.  For the Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.  No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit.  And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.  When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom.  Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain truths.  But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit.  It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. ”

I Corinthians 2:16b “But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.”

A wonderful aspect of living under the New Covenant of God’s Grace is that we have the priviledge of fellowship and union with Christ.  Part of that fellowship and union is being able to hear God speak to us.  Yes, He speaks!  We often miss it due to our busy lifestyles or our impure motives etc… But I am learning if we stop, take time to listen and be still, He speaks!

Under the New Covenant we now can receive wisdom from the Spirit because we now have the Spirit of the living God within us to talk to us and guide us.  The Holy Spirit is the key to everything in a believer’s life!  I think the enemy of our souls does everything in his power to cause us to miss this because it offers such a vital link to victory.  Because no one knows the thoughts of God except the spirit of God and we have not received the spirit of the world, but the spirit of God inside us.  So we can now understand what God has freely given us.  We literally have the mind of Christ so we can know God’s thoughts and heart on an issue/decision.  This is marvelous news!!

Dana

Sorry I have been away for awhile.  Here is the next part of “The Evidence of A True Believer Part 3 and I have listed the first four points that we have already discussed so far for you:

1.  True Believers believe that Jesus is the Christ.  I John 5:1

2.  True Believers will live in the light as Jesus is in the light.  I John 1:5-7

3.   True Believers have a deep since of their sinfulness.  I John 1:8

4.  True Believers will keep His Commandments.  I John 2:1-2

Now for number 5….

5.  True believers will have a geniune love for others.  I John 2:7-11 

If anyone claims to live in the light yet hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness.  In the NLT the end of verse 11 says that, “such a person is lost, having been blinded by the darkness.”  On over in chapter 4 of I John verses 7–8 say, “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God.  Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  But anyone who does not love does not know God-for God is love.”  Chapter 4 in I John comes right out and tells us what “real love” is…..have you ever thought about it?  Verse 9 confirms that God showed us how much he loved us by sending his only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him.  We did not love God first but He loved us while we were unlovely, while we were yet sinners as Romans 5:8 says.  Real love is not what Hollywood promotes but real love is that God loved us and sent His only Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.  Obviously this is our standard to love others but we must remember that we can’t do it in our own strength which is why we so need to humble ourselves before our father and examine ourselves and then allow Christ to love others through us.  The last part of verse 16 is quite direct….”God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.”  Now hear verses 20-21, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see how can we love God, whom we have not seen?  And God Himself has commanded that we must love not only Him but our Christian brothers and sisters, too.” 

I have purposfully put all the verses in here today so that you can see clearly what the Word of God says.  This is not opinion or even a good idea, it is God’s holy Word spoken to us.  We can’t fake this one….we must have His Holy Spirit living in us and loving through us as we embrace the love that God has for us all.

I John 3:1 “See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for He allows us to be called His children, and we really are!”

Dana

For many years, I have believed the lie that  in order to be accepted, I must prove my value/worth to others by my performance/achievements/success .  Entangled with this lie was another lie, that other people must accept me in order for me to accept myself.  God spoke the truth to me recently in a very special way:  I don’t have to prove my worth because God has already created me valuable.  He is the judge, not other people.  Therefore, if God accepts me (which He does with open arms), then I can accept myself.

This morning, God gave me an opportunity to practice this newly revealed truth.  I got up late, had barely enough time to shower & dress, grabbed a frozen dinner for lunch, and ran out the door without any breakfast.  The road I normally take to work is closed this week for construction, but I forgot that, and out of habit headed that way.  When I realized what I’d done, I had to take a roundabout way to work.  I just knew I would be late, and I was stressed.  Then I remembered what God said, “You don’t have to prove anything.”  I didn’t have to prove that I was good by being on time to work.  I began to relax and slow down.  The pressure was gone.  I was believing God.  I arrived at work with 2 minutes to spare and a whole lot less stress.  Thank you, Jesus!!!!

“I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;”           ~Psalm 139:14

“to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. “            ~Ephesians 1:6

Well, I have had a break in posting this last week because Tony and I have been on Vacation!  We had a great time visiting with my family and enjoying a couple of days of beach time!  We had some good time to rest so I guess we are ready to get back at it.

In part 2 of our discussion of the evidence of a true believer we left off with ending chapter one and looking at point 3 that showed us that we will have a deep sense of our own sinfulness if we are true believers.  Chapter one ends with verse 10 stating, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” 

Let’s pick up with point #4 that will start us off with I John 2.

#4.  If we are true believers we will keep His commandments.  I John 2:1-2 tells of the wonderful grace that is ours through Jesus Christ being the propitiation for our sins and He is our Advocate with the Father if we sin.  How truly blessed we are in the abundance of grace that we have received.  That grace and mercy poured out on us will lead us naturally to verse 3 that says, “And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.”  A true believer will welcome Jesus’ teachings into their lives and they will process that teaching and make the needed adjustments.  I John 2:4-6 says, “The one who says, ‘I have come to know Him, and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in Him the love of God has truly been perfected.  By this we know that we are in Him:  the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.”  I don’t know about you but that is putting it in pretty plain language for me! 

Here are some questions to ask ourselves:

*Do I obey His commandments?

*Do I tend to continue in sin without any sense of sorrow and repentance over my choices, actions and attitudes?

*Do I welcome His teachings into my life and make the proper adjustments in my lifestyle?  If not….why?  If so….How have I done this recently?

*Is there a genuine desire to walk in the same manner as Christ walked?  You can check out Phil. 2 for an idea of the manner in which Jesus walked.

* Do you sense a true humility about yourself before the Lord?

Take time to examine yourself.  This idea that if we are truly in Christ we will obey His commandments comes up several times in I John and in other places in Scripture.  If you do know Him in a personal and intimate way, you will not be able to continue in sin.  His kindness will lead you to repentance and true lifestyle change and you will not be able to continue in your sin…..not if you truly know Him.  Do you know Him today?

Dana

Hello Everyone,

As I mentioned in the previous blog, this is the first of several blogs about the evidence that will be in our lives reflecting that we are indeed children of God.  We must start here….

#1.  True believers believe that Jesus is the Christ.  I John 5:1

I don’t know that anyone could communicate it any clearer than Steve Green when he sang, “There is no other name but Jesus…”.  What a powerful message that is not very popular with the world due to it’s need to be politically correct.  Jesus himself is quoted in John 14:6 as saying that He is the way, the truth and the life.  Acts 4:12 tells us that there is no other name by which men might be saved.

#2.  If you are a true believer you will live in the light as Jesus is in the light.  I John 5-7

If we say that we are in the light, yet live in spiritual darkness we are only lying and we are not practicing the truth.  God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all.  So there is going to be a difference in our lifestyle verses the world’s lifestyle.

#3.  If we are a true believer we will have a deep sense of our sinfulness.        I John 1:8

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.  My friend, do you understand repentance?  Are you humbled when you look at the enormous price our Savior had to pay on behalf of your sinfulness?  I Corinthians 6:20 tells us we were bought with a price.  The price that Christ paid for our sin was one that was very, very expensive.  We are literally dead in our sins and transgressions.  We were helpless to save ourselves and doomed to spend an eternity completely separated from God.  Our state “in Adam” was a helpless state and only God could do anything about it.  Out of His deep love for us even while we were yet sinners, Romans tells us, that Christ died for us.  My friend, without Christ we were dead and doomed.  When I think about what my sin caused our Savior to have to endure it breaks my heart and yet….I worship and reach out to Him because without him, as the hymn says, “how lost I would be.”  I realize even now that my feeble attempts at righteousness is as filthy rags before Him.  So you see, our only hope is Christ alone!

Well, I hope these are thought provoking for you and allows you to examine yourself as well.  I was reading in Revelation 21 & 22 this morning and oh, what a glorious place we are going to be called to one day soon.  I feel such an urgency to remind the church to examine herself!  I feel such a burden to participate in the disciplining of the church because there is still much to be done and eternity is so close – even at our doors!  The fields are rich and ripe with the harvest but our workers…..where are they?  Many have been wounded and have abandoned their post.  Many have fallen to temptation and are caught in the holds of sin.  I’m telling you, our time is drawing nigh and many are lost all around us. 

Now, I know some of you may be thinking, “yea, yea….people have been saying that, “the end is coming” or that, “we are living in the last days” for years now and we are still here!”  First of all, we must be careful of our interruption of the term “last days”.  We think that term means within the very near future.  But in the Bible the term was used several times in the New Testament and that was over 2,000 years ago.  So, it is important to note that the Hebrew term “the last days” can also be translated as “in the distant future” (NLT) or “in the days to come” (NIV).  Thus, it is reasonable to conclude that the term “the last days” refers to an indeterminate period of time leading up to the second coming of Jesus Christ.  Now, with that said, I will say that no other generation that has lived has seen what our generation is seeing.  Prophecy fulfilled!  If you are a student of eschatology (the study of end times) and you have been keeping up with what is going on in our world then you know what I am talking about.  You are seeing events unfold and fall into the line of Bible prophecy like never before.  My friend, it is amazing!  It was behoove all of us to pay attention to the Word of God and what is going on in the world today….and literally….. for Heaven’s sake….let’s be busy accomplishing Kingdom agenda items!

Dana