Thoughts for Life: #40 Jesus, the Model Shepherd

Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: God has a shepherd heart. Moses in his song called God the Shepherd of His people (Gen. 49:24). David said of God, "The Lord is my shepherd" (Ps. 23:1).

His shepherd psalm outlines just how God is our Shepherd and the assurance we have because of this glorious truth. The writer of Psalm 80 prayed to God the Shepherd who leads His people like a flock. (Ps. 80:1). (Google image, Jesus The Good Shepherd)

Isaiah rejoices that God the Sovereign Lord has a Shepherd heart.

"He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the
lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young" (Isa. 40:11).

Jeremiah prophesied that God would "watch over his flock like a shepherd" (Jer. 31:10).Repeatedly in the old Testament when their human shepherds failed them God took His sovereign authority and promised to intervene (Jer. 23:4; Ezek. 34:11-16, 23; Zech. 10:3).

Then in John 10 Jesus announces that He is the Good Shepherd that God had promised. He will fulfill all the Old Testament promises and the role outlined in His own parable of the faithful shepherd (John 10:2-5).

1. The sheep listen to His voice. They recognize His voice but not those of false shepherds.
2. He knows all His sheep individually and calls each by his own name. Ideally, every pastor, Sunday school teacher, and church leader should know each of those under him by name in a detailed and personal way. Do you?
3. He leads them to where there needs are supplied. He is responsible for their every need and especially their constant need of guidance.
4. He goes on ahead of them and they follow Him. He is an example of all He teaches, the example for every leader and pastor. You as shepherd must be the example of all that you teach for all whom you teach. You must personally model all the truth you present.
5. He came that His sheep might have full, abundant life. As a shepherd you need to be well acquainted with all the joys, sorrows, successes, failure, wounds, hurts, and needs of your people . . . Each believer must have a responsible shepherd who knows him by name, prays for him by name, and gladly shares in as many details of his life as is appropriate. This fullness of prayer and guidance should be available for all of the life of each member.
6. He is the Good Shepherd. Jesus repeated this important claim. Every shepherd should be a good shepherd.
a. Christ is the Good Shepherd because He lays down his life for the sheep (John 10:10,15). The entire incarnation was a laying down of His life. He also laid down His life to the ultimate degree. He did not hesitate to die for His sheep.
You as a Christian shepherd must be willing to lay down your life daily for your people. You must daily deny yourself for their sake. You must rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep (Rom. 12:15).
You must grieve and inwardly burn over those who sin (2 Cor. 11:29). You must feel weak with everyone who is weak (v. 29). But you must also be willing to defend your people even with your life if this proves necessary in time of persecution.
b. Christ is also the Good Shepherd because He knows His sheep and His sheep know Him (John 10:14-15, 27). The key to leadership or any form of shepherd ministry is knowledge of your people. Only then can your care for them be effective. Only then can your love for them be personal and fully an identifying love. There must be an intensely personal dimension and identification in the heart of a shepherd.

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Used by permission of the author and Duewel Literature Trust, Inc., Greenwood, Indiana. Creative reading style by Jean.

Ablaze for God
#40 Jesus, the Model Shepherd
by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
(pp. 137-140) ZondervanPublishingHouse

Today's quote-

Lee Forbes:

"A character reflected by the things they say and do

Just like they see that Jesus did with all that He went through

Not bowing to traditions that were never based in God

But choosing by exception where the Lord would have Him trod

The Lord that is His Father Who with Him had always been

Who gave by their Example how They long to live in men

Not in a box or on a path that led away from Him

But free to be most intimate the Way He wants in them

So if you want to complement the One you call your King

The Way that means the most to Him Who gives you everything

Just follow His Example in the scriptures that you see

As you pursue the very best that God wants you to be."

(A quote from his post, "Complement").

Guest poem:

Choice

Dr. Rhonda Milner

Consequences

Choices bring consequences that may be dire
Once chosen they can ignite a raging fire
No redoing, looking or taking back
Consequences can easily throw us off track

We are free to make the initial choice
But consequences can later take our voice
We cannot determine what follows then
Consequences might be our calamity, not our friend

So every action must be carefully perceived and thought
As our final resolve may leave us distraught
Each decision may become a learning lesson
Consequences teach and may become a reckoning session

So there is a reason for God's Commandments and Rules
And doing unto others as we were taught in school
It is from our own selves God wants to protect
So be mindful and prayerful of how our choices can affect

God loves us deeply to our essence and core
No person on earth could love us more
It is from the Consequences of our own choices He wants to save
In the end, it is only through the gift of His Son whom God freely gave."

www.healingpresenceministry.com- Dr. Rhonda Milner

Today's question-

What does it mean to demonstrate godly character?

A man (or woman) who submits to the developing of a godly character is one who submits to God's biblical standard. (See Titus 2: 1-8). God gives each of us a "garden" to tend, whether it be our family, our work, or in our special pursuit for some intellectual training. Our willingness to be responsible will cause us to step through our fears of failure, and enable is to do the right thing for all concerned.
The man or woman who sees they've sinned, who repents and denies their selfish ways, presses into Jesus, reads the Gospel daily, honors and respects others, guards their tongue, looks for ways to serve, and prays for God's guidance for their "garden," is the one demonstrating godly character.

Today's special link:

Why Date Night As A Couple Matters.
Jeff & Alyssa Bethke

Our prayer today- Father, as we've been given multiple pieces of advice today, may we understand more clearly that Jesus, our Good Shepherd, is always looking out for our welfare.
Dr. Duewel's message of the Lord's assurance that Jesus is the Good Shepherd God had promised, makes us Love Him all the more.
As He gave His life for us on the cross, help us be more determined than ever to reflect His character in everything we say, do and think, that we may bring glory to Him.

Dr. Rhonda Milner's poem on the consequences of our choices, has an important message for us. May we remember to be open to the Lord's directions to not make detrimental choices, which can bring unwanted consequences.

Jeff &Alyssa Bethke offer some excellent advice for married couples, that are given to help strengthen marriages. May many check out their link to see how to help their own marriages.
We ask this in the name of the Lord. Amen.

Today's Bible verse-

Isa. 55:8 (KJV) "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways. For as the heavens are
higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your
ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Isa. 46:4 "And even to your old age I am he; and even
to hoar (gray) hairs will I carry you; I have made, and
I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you."

Ps. 23:1,6 (NIV) "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not
be in want . . . Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of
the LORD forever."

Upcoming posts-

A Reason for Everything
3/31 Saturday's post by Fran Pasch
#41 The Shepherd Role

4/3rd- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
#42 The Shepherd Leads Constantly to Spiritual Refreshment
5th- Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
Thoughts and Prayers Are Nice, But . . .
7th- Saturday's post by Ron Hutchcraft