Sheep Food

  They wandered in an inhospitable wilderness for forty years until a generation of people, 20 years of age and older died out. This was not God’s original plan but because they refused to believe that God was going to do, and could do, what He promised and told them He would do...God said, in effect- ‘Fine...have it your way.’ They were not going to go in and inherit this piece of real estate that had been promised to Abraham, of whom they were descendants of and heirs according to the promise.   Suggesting that God is incapable of doing what He says He can and will do just seems a tad on the side of being a bad idea. Especially when your nay-saying affects others around you and influences them as well. Numbers 13-14 would be good chapters to review at some point.   Paul pointed to this piece of history in more blunt terms. He flat out tells us that the ‘Rock’ that followed them in the wilderness providing them water was Christ. (1 Cor. 10:4). And even thoug...

  Think of them as a set of ‘blueprints’; so much of the writings of the Old Testament, that is.   And even more specifically, the Torah, or first five books of the bible. Genesis…and Exodus and Numbers and especially Deuteronomy.   Oh, and just for the record…if you think I’m trying to make a case here that we are supposed to be back living under OT rules and regulations and ordinances and rituals, including animal sacrifices and dietary restrictions, that is not the case at all. And you might ask the Holy Spirit to keep those pesky voices that whisper such things in to your thoughts at bay for a bit while we share here this morning. Remember, you do have an enemy whose main job is to keep you away from the light of God’s word, even going in to ‘snatch it from your heart’ to attempt it having any effect on you …like believing it and being ‘saved’. (Luke 8:12)   You do realize that the early church did not have a ‘New Testament’ complete with ‘red le...

  Jesus knew how to cull a crowd and how to do it quickly.   To be honest with you, I don’t know if that word ‘cull’ was ever a part of my vocabulary or on my radar until I moved up here to NE Texas and got to spend a lot of time around ranchers. It means to ‘select from a group’.  It seems that Jesus had a really good thing going once His ministry kicked in to full gear. I mean, multiplying food to feed the multitudes, healing sick folks, raising young people from the dead, casting demons out of people left and right. And on His days off, he walked on water and calmed fierce storms. It did not take long before the word got out and large crowds began to follow him. And I don’t need to remind you this was long before the days of Twitter and social media.   Word of mouth spread fast. And people wanted to know more. So they came to listen and watch.   I have always had it in my head that life back then had to be rather dull and un-entertaining....

  There’s an older song that has a bit of a ‘southern gospel flair’ to it that my girls used to sing in church with great harmony. And while my ‘playlist’ has never been filled with that particular genre of music, this particular song had a catchy tune to it. I can’t even tell you the title of the song, but the line I always referred to when requesting they sing it was “There’ll be joy on the other side of Jordan.”. I can still see them smiling radiantly as they played and sung that tune in the church we pastored for a few years.   ‘...Joy on the other side of Jordan...’.   There are other hymns as well that paint quite the vivid picture as to what supposedly happens when a departed saint dies and ...’passes over the Jordan River’.   As much as we can get attached to our beloved songs, one has to admit that they are not always ‘theologically accurate’. But goodness...as long as they have a catchy tune and make us feel good...and get us thinking ab...

  At the ripe young age of twenty, I truly had a genuine ‘conversion’ and saw my life turn around after having ‘met the Lord’ and purposed in my heart to ‘follow Him’. When I say ‘genuine’, I mean, it was real, it was authentic and it was more than just goose-bumps and fuzzy warm feelings. He made Himself real to Me through His word and a true transformation began to take place in my life.   Then, it got a little ‘squirrelly’ along the way. Long story...but it happens. I mean, there are a lot of ‘churches’ out there today (and were back then as well) teaching a whole lot of different things that can muddy the waters for sure. No wonder Paul expressed concerns there in 2 Cor. 11:2-4 about all these ‘other gospels, and Jesuses, and spirits’ that would enter the fray. Jesus Himself told us this would happen in Matt. 24. And if Satan himself can appear as an ‘angel of light’ and his minions as ‘servants of righteousness’, (2 Cor. 11:14-15)...and Jesus talks of all those...

  It is a telling statement and quite an interesting admission that so many of us have made at one time or another regarding our relationship or ‘walk’ with God. It usually sounds something like this: “I know I’m not where I need to be.”   I. Know. I. Am. Not. Where. I. Need. To. Be.   Here’s a question worth giving serious thought to:   Why?   No, no...no...go back, read that question again and pause.   Discovering the answer to that three-letter question could be quite life changing for you. I mean it.  Many years ago, someone gave me a wood plaque carving that was about 8” by 8”. On it was a little mouse with a stick over his shoulder and presumably his belongings tied up at the end of it in a small bundle. The wording on the plaque read: “If you don’t feel close to God, Guess who moved?!”   Now while our walk with God has so much more to do than having ‘good feelings’, there is much truth wrapped up in that quo...

  You do realize that everything about you and in your old nature, your ‘old man’, is wired to resist and repel the things of God. This would include making half-hearted attempts to ‘abide in Jesus’. And no matter how hard you try, you can’t do it, until you truly ‘come to Jesus’ with ...ALL your heart. Just flat out does not work. And God will test your heart to see if you are ‘all in’. Just ask the rich, young ruler in Matt. 19.   Paul tells us that ‘the carnal mind is enmity or hostile against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God’. (Rom. 8:7-8)   Where I believe more professing believers have struggled in their walk of faith has had to do with this total surrendering of our wills that are arguably rooted in our hearts and/or minds. In the same way a trainer has to break the will of a wild horse in order to earn its trust and make good use of him, so does the Holy Spirit hav...