Thursday, July 21, 2011

In Christ - I am Jesus' Little Lamb

John 10:7-16

Psalm 79:13

Psalms 100:3
Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, Will give You thanks forever; We will show forth Your praise to all generations.
 May 20, 2010
...our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep...
-- Hebrews 13:20
The Shepherd
Phillip Keller, a shepherd (and also an author), once wrote,

"The day I bought my first thirty ewes, my neighbor and I sat on the dusty corral rails that enclosed the sheep pens and admired the choice, strong, well-bred ewes that had become mine. Turning to me he handed me a large, sharp, killing knife and remarked tersely, 'Well, Phillip, they're yours. Now you'll have to put your mark on them.'

"I knew exactly what he meant. Each sheep-man has his own distinctive earmark which he cuts into one or other of the ears of his sheep. In this way, even at a distance, it is easy to determine to whom the sheep belongs. It was 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 of us. But from our mutual suffering an indelible lifelong mark of ownership was made that could never be erased. And from then on every sheep that came into my possession would bear my mark.

"As a sheep of the Good Shepherd, you bear His mark, a cross. It may be painful, but it's your mark of identification with your Shepherd. Ask yourself, 'Do I recognize His right and claim over me? Do I respond to His authority? Bear the mark He's given me?' If you do, you can exalt with the psalmist and say, 'The Lord is my Shepherd!'

"If His mark seems difficult to bear, remember: '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.'" (Isaiah 40:11).
* * * * *
Lord, I remember how You came to earth to give Your life for us - all we are like sheep who have gone astray. Thank You for being our shepherd. And thank You for laying Your life down for Your sheep, You, the Lamb of God. 
Blessings,Joni and Friends

 
I have to admit it - sometimes I'm a baaaaaaaaad sheep (sorry - I couln't help myself)! I bear His mark - and I try to live my life for Him, but there are times - too many times - when I fail. I'm grateful that I've gotten beyond the point of hiding from Him when I've failed - and I don't (usually) spend too much time in the doldrums over my failures - but I still fail. Sometimes unintentionally - sometimes not so unintential (and those are the hardest to admit). Either way, My Good Shepherd is SO patient with me - He doesn't yell and scream to get my attention - He gently uses His rod and staff to get me back on track.

Have you wondered away from the flock? Have you failed? Do you feel lost? Your Good Shepherd is waiting for you - His arms are open - He longs to bring you back into the fold. If you're like me, and you still find yourself on the discipline end of the Shepherds rod, remember that it's because He loves you and longs for you to be conformed into His image. Lean into the Shepherd - let Him love you - you are precious in His sight! Sharon
www.joniandfriends.org
Joni and Friends Daily Devotional
Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

In Christ - I am the Bride of Christ

I am the Bride of Christ

Jeremiah 3:14-15

Revelation 19:7-9 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!' "

Joni and Friends Daily Devotional

Waiting On the Groom

At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom... The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'... The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet... Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

"When all the preparations for the consummation of the marriage contract were completed, it was customary for the Jewish bridegroom to go for his bride at night. He would march toward her village with his friends in a torchlight procession. As more bystanders recognized the wedding party, they would take up the call of celebration and cry out the good news from block to block (a coy way of alerting the bride to be ready!) In a short time, the torchlight processional halted outside her home. The bride, dressed in the gown she had hung by her bed in readiness, stepped out into the street amidst cheers. With laughing and singing, the bride and groom, with the wedding party, walked by torchlight back to the home of the groom's father where a feast awaited them.

"Wise virgins understand that the betrothal carries big responsibilities. We recognize that we are in covenant, albeit separated from our groom. We watch and work. We stay awake. Our groom could come for us at any moment!

* * * * *

"Don't be a foolish virgin who easily falls asleep and forgets about her soon-and-coming groom. Energize your anticipation by learning the meaning behind the many other betrothal symbols in today's devotional. Look up 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Matthew 24:42-44; 1 Thessalonians 5:2."

Joni and Friends

"I want to ready myself for your return, Lord. I want to wait for you with spirited affection and eager anticipation. I want to be prepared with oil in my lamp and fire in my heart."


The news is full of stories about women who "play around" on their fiancé - who don't take their engagement seriously - and most of society looks poorly on them. It might be "cute" - or "fun" - but it's not becoming. Most of us know that being engaged means that we're making a commitment to one special person - and that means everyone else is "off limits." We would do well to acknowledge that we are "engaged" to be married - that Jesus is our Bridge Groom - and that the price He paid for us was as high as it could possibly be - His life. I know that most of the world watched the royal wedding with awe. It was an impressive event - the bride was lovely and the groom was handsome. Had Kate "stepped out" on Prince William during their engagement it would have been scandalous! WE'RE "engaged" to the King of kings and Lord of lords! Our groom deserves our faithfulness and loyalty. He's given us everything - all He asks of us is that we return His love by our obedience. Be ready for your Groom. Live today - and tomorrow - and forever - as though you take your betrothal to Him seriously. He does. Sharon
 
Matthew 25: 1, 4-6, 10, 13
June 13, 2009
"Return, O backsliding children," says the LORD; "for I am married to you. I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding."
...

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

In Christ - I am an ambassador for Christ

I am an ambassador for Christ...
2 Corinthians 5: 18-20 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to Himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to Him.  For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.  So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making His appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, "Come back to God!"  For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin,* so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Definition:

We are God's representatives in our own little corner of the globe. A good question to ask ourselves on a regular basis is whether or not we’re living in a way that best represents the Kingdom of God. That's not an easy question for some of us - the world has snuck in and corrupted our walk with Christ, and if we're honest, we're not being good examples in many areas of our lives. It takes dedication to the call - to the One who called - to the Message (the Gospel) - to be a consistently faithful Ambassador for Christ. You may be the only person representing Christ in someone's life - so make it count! You don't have to "shove the Gospel down their throats" - but if you're open about your faith, and you live it day in and day out (to the best of your ability) - people are watching, and what they should be seeing is a person that reflects the values, beliefs and worldview of our Home Country (heaven). Take a few minutes to do a spiritual inventory - is there anything in your life that compromises your call to His service? If so, repent - and return to your first love with your WHOLE heart, soul, strength and mind. Remember that you represent the King of kings, and it is His desire that everyone would come to salvation. He wants you to be a part of that mission! Sharon
ambassador >noun - a diplomat sent by a state as its permanent representative in a foreign country.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

In Christ - I am God's Workmanship

I am God's workmanship...Ephesians 2:10

Max Lucado/Grace for the Moment Volume II, pg. 109 -

"Over a hundred years ago, a group of fishermen were relaxing in a Scottish seaside inn. One of the men gestured widely and his arm struck the serving maid's tea tray, sending the teapot flying into the whitewashed wall. The innkeeper surveyed the damage and sighed, 'The whole wall will have to be repainted.'

"'Perhaps not,' offered a stranger. 'Let me work with it.'

"Having nothing to lose, the proprietor consented. The man pulled pencils, brushes, and pigment out of an art box…In time, an image began to emerge: a stag with a great rack of antlers. The man inscribed his signature at the bottom, paid for his meal, and left. His name: Sir Edwin Landseer, famous painter of wildlife.

"In his hands, a mistake became a masterpiece. God's hands do the same, over and over. He draws together the disjointed blotches in our life and renders them an expression of His love."

What an awesome affirmation - we are God's masterpiece - His work of art! He takes all of our weaknesses - strengths - fears - hopes - dreams - gifts - mistakes - abilities - good choices - and bad - and He weaves it all together to create a masterpiece that rivals anything Michelangelo ever created! Artists can often "see" the finished piece of art before they begin - they look at all the details of the raw material and can visualize what it will become, even before they pick up a brush - or a chisel. God sees ahead - He sees the finished product. He's using every tool in His box to shape us into the image of His Son. We can't see the completed work - but He can - and it gives Him pleasure! The next time the enemy whispers in your ear that you're worthless - the next time someone says something demeaning and unkind - the next time you're tempted to write yourself off as a total failure - remember that you are GOD'S work of art - and He's creating a masterpiece! Sharon
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.