Prayer – Lord, I’m listening for Your voice. Help me to hear it clearly amongst all the noise today. Don’t let me be swayed by those who claim that they are telling Your story—but they are trying to glorify themselves, not You.
"I
am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father
knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. I have
other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They
will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.
"The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back
again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have
the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For
this is what my Father has commanded." John 10:14-18
Meditate.
How can I apply this to my life?
To what
voice, advice, or stories are you listening?
Have you ever been around sheep and
noticed that they follow their shepherd when he calls to them? Listen for
Jesus’ voice. Jesus is our shepherd and He tells us in this passage today that
He sacrificed His own life for His sheep. That’s us. Sacrificed. Gave up His
very human life. Would we do that for anyone? Jesus gave us lots of advice.
Consider His teaching to his disciples when they asked about the end of the
age. 
Sheep in Israel
Are they listening for their shepherd's voice?
Jesus told them, "Don't let
anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the
Messiah.' They will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and threats of
wars, but don't panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won't
follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But
all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come. Matthew 24:4-8
Wars and rumors of wars. Although
wars have been almost constant throughout history, we have conflicts occurring
now in and around Israel that people are attributing to end times. Have you
Googled information on earthquakes lately? There have even been a series of
small quakes within 60 miles of my home that appear to be related to fault
lines that go all the way other fault lines in the Pacific Ocean. Does all this
point to the End Times about which Jesus was warning? He told His disciples not
to be misled. He also told them to be prepared. How are you preparing yourself
and your family for such a time as this?
Remember how Mordecai challenged
his cousin Queen Esther, wife of Persian King Ahasuerus, to prepare herself to
save the Jewish people from eradication.
Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: "Don't think
for a moment that because you're in the palace you will escape when all other
Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief
for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will
die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as
this?" Esther
4:13-14
So—has God prepared you where you are to
encourage others at such a time as this? Will you keep silent or speech up for
the Lord. The choice is yours to respond to Jesus’ message to be prepared and
not to be deceived.
Verse
of Salvation ~ Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay
true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of
those who hear you. 1
Timothy 4:16
© 2024 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All
rights reserved.
All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless
otherwise noted.
New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale
House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream,
Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.
Books by Mickey M.
Hunacek
Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com
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