| Topic: |
Religions > Bible |
| User: |
"Dwight Mckinney" |
| Date: |
22 Nov 2003 11:04:16 AM |
| Object: |
GOOD SHEPHERDS |
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"Distributing the Good Gospel Materials of the Pioneer Tract Society"
=20
PO Box 2392 Daly City, CA 94017-2392 Phone: 1-650-757-5752 =
Fax: 1-650-757-5750
Webpage: http://www.isaiah58.com E-Mail:
=20
Good Shepherds
Some of the most desperate cries being uttered by God's "sheep" =
today are those pleas for the Lord to send them a Pastor. In every =
"pasture", the sheep are saying, "Lord, send us a good shepherd". If =
your heart is right before God, he has a good shepherd to meet your =
spiritual needs. A good shepherd will keep you from spiritually =
starving, and will not allow you to "fall through the cracks" unnoticed, =
neglected, or empty. Every child of God can be fruitful and useful when =
being led by a good shepherd. There is a wonderful peace, security, and =
protection for sheep held near God's bosom in the loving arms of a good =
shepherd
Jesus was the supreme example of a good shepherd. He told his =
followers: "I am the good shepherd" (Joh.10:11). Even more than good, =
Peter declared that Jesus was the "chief" shepherd: "And when the chief =
shepherd shall appear..." (1Pet.5:4). The writer of Hebrews pointed to =
Jesus as the "great" shepherd: "...the Lord Jesus, that great shepherd =
of the sheep" (Heb.13:20).
A good shepherd is beloved of God because he lays down his life =
for the sheep (John 10:17). It would also please the father to have good =
shepherds (also called pastors) who, like Jesus, sacrifice their lives =
for the sheep, thus following their master's example.
It is vital that God's sheep know how to find a shepherd (pastor). =
Just as important, is for pastors to know how to be a good shepherd, for =
one of the judgments on disobedience is that God will raise up "evil =
shepherds": "For lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall =
not visit those that be cut off, neither seek the young one, nor heal =
that is broken . . . woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock" =
(Zech.11:16-17). "Idol shepherds" are sent by God to delude those who do =
not "love the truth" (see 2Thes.2:10-12). But obedient sheep will love =
God enough to hear and follow only the good shepherds whom God truly =
sends. Here are some qualities of "good shepherds":=20
a.. A good shepherd obediently commits his life to the sheep: "I =
am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. =
But he that is an hireling..." (Joh.10:11-12). The reason that finding a =
good shepherd is so difficult today is that most are simply "hirelings". =
A hireling is a person who takes their position for money. He has no =
intention of staying, or loving, except when it fosters his position - =
the praise of men and the desire for more money. A hireling's position =
is a convenient "step" toward bigger and better things. He is a trained =
professional, voted in or appointed by men. In short, he will "make =
merchandise" of God's people (2Pet.2:3). Certainly, many do not begin =
with and most will never confess such motives, but in time you will see =
their fruit. The Church's destitute condition fosters such error, and =
that is why one will have to "come out of Christianity" to find a truly =
good shepherd.
b.. A good shepherd knows his sheep: "I am the good shepherd, =
and know my sheep, and am known of mine" (Joh.10:14). A good shepherd is =
knowing and letting himself be known by the sheep. Rarely will today's =
religious systems permit a pastor to know his sheep intimately, for =
there is a pressure heaped upon them to "grow". A "small flock" would =
represent failure to his peers and overseers. Good shepherds are not =
looking for "other sheep" --- they have made a lifetime commitment to =
the flock God has given them.
c.. A good shepherd feeds the flock: "I will feed them in good =
pasture..."(Eze.34:14). Refusing to feed the sheep, a carnal idol =
shepherd feeds his sheep lifeless, second hand food. The doctrines of =
his denomination. The creeds of men. The teachings of earthly =
psychologists and so on. The good shepherd has fallen on his face, and =
has heard from the Father: "the words which I speak unto you, I speak =
not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me" (Joh.14:10). A good =
shepherd will not leave you spiritually hungry. His pastures are always =
green. By the power of the Spirit, he has what you need.
So where do you find one? You must hear from God: "...he calleth =
his own sheep by name, and leadeth them OUT" (Joh.10:3). God will send =
you a shepherd, but a good shepherd will always "lead you OUT". The call =
is to God. And God is not inside anything that is not led by the Spirit, =
regardless of what men call it.
The church consists of those who have been "born of the Spirit". =
By one Spirit we are baptized into the body of Christ (1Cor.12:13). Any =
man who teaches you that a person can be in the Church (God's Church - =
Jesus' body on this earth), without receiving the baptism of the holy =
Ghost (with the evidence of speaking in other tongues) is an idol =
shepherd. God has not sent him to you, for he is a thief and a robber. =
Stealing peace, and robbing you of hope. Flee that man.
One does not go "shopping" for a pastor (or a church). It is a =
work of the Spirit. You will NEVER find a good shepherd in Christianity, =
because Christianity will not allow a good shepherd to be one. The holy =
Ghost, in this hour, is MAKING good shepherds for the precious sheep: =
"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which =
the holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which =
he hath purchase with his own blood" (Acts 20:28).=20
Therefore, the answer is to "walk in the Spirit". God will be =
pleased to join you together with those who have a like mind and a like =
spirit. He will only trust you to a good shepherd. Wait on God, and do =
not settle for gathering in any place where the truth is not fed to you. =
Good shepherds will be found by the sheep who hear his voice. And obey =
it.
Questions? Log onto the Internet, Click Here,
and you can E-mail them to: GSAVELLI@aol.com=20
=20
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<P>
<P>
<CENTER><FONT face=3Darial size=3D3><B>"Distributing the Good Gospel =
Materials of=20
the Pioneer Tract Society"</B></FONT></CENTER>
<CENTER>
<TABLE width=3D550 border=3D0>
<TBODY>
<TR height=3D35>
<TD width=3D550 bgColor=3D#000000 height=3D35><IMG height=3D35=20
src=3D"file:///C:/Program Files/Common Files/Microsoft =
Shared/Stationery/bartop.gif"=20
width=3D550 border=3D0></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER>
<CENTER><FONT face=3Dverdana size=3D1>PO Box 2392 Daly =
City, CA=20
94017-2392 Phone: 1-650-757-5752 Fax:=20
1-650-757-5750<BR>Webpage: http://www.isaiah58.com =
=20
E-Mail: </CENTER></FONT>
<P>
<CENTER>
<TABLE width=3D600 border=3D0>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD><IMG height=3D241 hspace=3D10=20
src=3D"file:///C:/Program Files/Common Files/Microsoft =
Shared/Stationery/reli58.gif"=20
width=3D150 align=3Dleft vspace=3D5 border=3D1> <!-- ******** END =
OF HEADER *************** --><A name=3Dtop></A>
<CENTER><FONT color=3Dpurple>
<H1>Good Shepherds</FONT></H1></CENTER><FONT size=3D4>
<P>Some of the most desperate cries being uttered by God's "sheep" =
today=20
are those pleas for the Lord to send them a Pastor. In every =
"pasture",=20
the sheep are saying, <I>"Lord, send us a <B>good =
shepherd</B>"</I>. If=20
your heart is right before God, he has a <B>good shepherd</B> to =
meet your=20
spiritual needs. A <B>good shepherd</B> will keep you from =
spiritually=20
starving, and will not allow you to "fall through the cracks" =
unnoticed,=20
neglected, or empty. Every child of God can be fruitful and useful =
when=20
being led by a <B>good shepherd</B>. There is a wonderful peace, =
security,=20
and protection for sheep held near God's bosom in the loving arms =
of a=20
<B>good shepherd</B>
<P>Jesus was the supreme example of a good shepherd. He told his=20
followers: <I><B>"I am the good shepherd" (Joh.10:11)</B></I>. =
Even more=20
than good, Peter declared that Jesus was the "chief" shepherd: =
<B><I>"And=20
when the chief shepherd shall appear..." (1Pet.5:4)</I></B>. The =
writer of=20
Hebrews pointed to Jesus as the "great" shepherd: <B><I>"...the =
Lord=20
Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep" (Heb.13:20).</I></B>
<P>A <B>good shepherd</B> is beloved of God because he lays down =
his life=20
for the sheep (John 10:17). It would also please the father to =
have=20
<B>good shepherds</B> (also called <B>pastors</B>) who, like =
Jesus,=20
sacrifice their lives for the sheep, thus following their master's =
example.
<P>It is vital that God's sheep know how to <I>find</I> a shepherd =
(pastor). Just as important, is for pastors to know how to be a =
good=20
shepherd, for one of the judgments on disobedience is that God =
will raise=20
up "evil shepherds": <B><I>"For lo, I will raise up a shepherd in =
the=20
land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither seek =
the young=20
one, nor heal that is broken . . . woe to the idol shepherd that =
leaveth=20
the flock" (Zech.11:16-17)</I></B>. "Idol shepherds" are sent by =
God to=20
delude those who do not "love the truth" (see 2Thes.2:10-12). But =
obedient=20
sheep will love God enough to hear and follow only the good =
shepherds whom=20
God truly sends. Here are some qualities of <B>"good =
shepherds"</B>:=20
<UL>
<LI>A good shepherd obediently commits his life to the sheep: =
<B><I>"I=20
am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the =
sheep.=20
But he that is an hireling..." (Joh.10:11-12).</B></I> The =
reason that=20
finding a good shepherd is so difficult today is that most are =
simply=20
"hirelings". A hireling is a person who takes their position for =
money.=20
He has no intention of staying, or loving, except when it =
fosters his=20
position - the praise of men and the desire for more money. A =
hireling's=20
position is a convenient "step" toward bigger and better things. =
He is a=20
trained professional, voted in or appointed by men. In short, he =
will=20
"make merchandise" of God's people (2Pet.2:3). Certainly, many =
do not=20
begin with and most will never confess such motives, but in time =
you=20
will see their fruit. The Church's destitute condition fosters =
such=20
error, and that is why one will have to "come out of =
Christianity" to=20
find a truly <B>good shepherd</B>.
<P></P>
<LI>A good shepherd knows his sheep: <B><I>"I am the good =
shepherd, and=20
know my sheep, and am known of mine" (Joh.10:14)</I></B>. A good =
shepherd is knowing and letting himself be known by the sheep. =
Rarely=20
will today's religious systems permit a pastor to know his sheep =
intimately, for there is a pressure heaped upon them to "grow". =
A "small=20
flock" would represent failure to his peers and overseers. Good=20
shepherds are not looking for "other sheep" --- they have made a =
lifetime commitment to the flock God has given them.
<P></P>
<LI>A good shepherd feeds the flock: <B><I>"I will feed them in =
good=20
pasture..."(Eze.34:14)</I></B>. Refusing to feed the sheep, a =
carnal=20
idol shepherd feeds his sheep lifeless, second hand food. The =
doctrines=20
of his denomination. The creeds of men. The teachings of earthly =
psychologists and so on. The good shepherd has fallen on his =
face, and=20
has heard from the Father: <B><I>"the words which I speak unto =
you, I=20
speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me"=20
(Joh.14:10)</I></B>. A good shepherd will not leave you =
spiritually=20
hungry. His pastures are always green. By the power of the =
Spirit, he=20
has what you need.
<P></P></LI></UL>So where do you find one? You must hear from =
God:=20
<B><I>"...he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them OUT"=20
(Joh.10:3)</I></B>. God will send you a shepherd, but a good =
shepherd will=20
always "lead you OUT". The call is to God. And God is not inside =
anything=20
that is not led by the Spirit, regardless of what men call it.
<P>The church consists of those who have been "born of the =
Spirit". By one=20
Spirit we are baptized into the body of Christ (1Cor.12:13). Any =
man who=20
teaches you that a person can be in the Church (God's Church - =
Jesus' body=20
on this earth), without receiving the baptism of the holy Ghost =
(with the=20
evidence of speaking in other tongues) is an idol shepherd. God =
has not=20
sent him to you, for he is a thief and a robber. Stealing peace, =
and=20
robbing you of hope. Flee that man.
<P>One does not go "shopping" for a pastor (or a church). It is a =
work of=20
the Spirit. You will NEVER find a good shepherd in Christianity, =
because=20
Christianity will not allow a good shepherd to be one. The holy =
Ghost, in=20
this hour, is MAKING good shepherds for the precious sheep: =
<B><I>"Take=20
heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which =
the holy=20
Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he =
hath=20
purchase with his own blood" (Acts 20:28)</I></B>.=20
<P>Therefore, the answer is to "walk in the Spirit". God will be =
pleased=20
to join you together with those who have a like mind and a like =
spirit. He=20
will only trust you to a good shepherd. Wait on God, and do not =
settle for=20
gathering in any place where the truth is not fed to you. Good =
shepherds=20
will be found by the sheep who hear his voice. And obey it.
<P><! -- ************ BOTTOM HEADER *********** -->
<P><FONT face=3Dverdana size=3D2><I><A=20
href=3D"mailto:GSAVELLI@aol.com">Questions? Log onto the Internet, =
Click=20
Here,<BR>and you can E-mail them to: =
GSAVELLI@aol.com</A></I></FONT>=20
</P></FONT></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER>
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