Confessing Jesus Before Men: I AM the Good Shepherd

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"And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God; but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. (Luke 12:8-9 NASB)

In an attempt to understand what it means to "confess Jesus before men" (or say the same things about Jesus that He says about Himself), we are reviewing the "I AM's".  So far, we've covered I AM the Bread of Life, I AM the light of the world, and I AM the door. 

Today, we continue the passage from John 10 with a look at the pasture into which the door of Christ opens.

"I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." John 10:19,11 NASB

Most of have seen pastures. These are wide, open fields in which livestock live and feed. Pasture management is a science of it's own and has taught us that a healthy pasture requires considerable attention. (I have more than one book on pasture management.) The type of grasses are chosen for their nutritional value. A source of clean water is imperative. There must be shade from the sun and protection from the elements. 

If the pasture is well-maintained, it provides a safe home for livestock, replete with everything needed for a safe and healthy life. In that same way, when we enter through the door of Jesus into the pasture He provides, we (according to Thayer) "shall not want the needful supplies for a true life." 

There is a difference, of course, between the "needful supplies for life" and our mountain of wants. In a society of entitlement, such as we have here in this country, it's easy to confuse the two. 

In 1943, Maslow described the hierarchy of human needs. Our most basic needs are simple. Breathing, food, water, shelter, clothing, sleep. The next level of need includes health, job, family, property, and social stability, but is not required to sustain life. 

Take a look again at the most basic needs. Air, food, water, shelter, and sleep can all be found in a good pasture. (Clothing is just another form of shelter, or covering.) When we enter into the pasture of faith in Jesus, he is our stability. We become part of the family of God. We are joint heirs with Him. He gives us the work of the kingdom. The "needful supplies of life" are all provided, and more.

Jesus is the door that opens into the pasture of our provision. We, the sheep of His pasture, must occupy that pasture in ways that demonstrate the care lavished upon us by our Shepherd. One of the ways we confess Jesus before men is the attitude with which we occupy our "pasture". When we receive the gifts of God with a grateful heart, we give glory to Him with our gratitude. 

A lifestyle of contentment, rather than grumbling, says to the world that we serve a Good Shepherd who provides all we need for a productive life. Let's take a look at our attitudes. Do we grumble about the gifts of God? Do we constantly want more or different than He has provided? Today, let's take note of the provision God has given us, then thank Him for His generosity toward us. Let's confess Him before men by a lifestyle of gratitude.

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. (Philippians 4:11-12 NASB)

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Our Father, thank You for giving us our daily bread, our needful supply. Give me a grateful heart that honors You by the way I receive your gifts. Replace my grumbling with contentment in Your abundant provision. In Jesus' name, Amen

Sending the Seventy, part 11:

Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house.' ... Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they give you; for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not keep moving from house to house. (Luke 10:5, 7 NASB)

This verse is nearly impossible to understand in our culture of entitlement. For some absolutely crazy reason that makes no sense at all, we have been hoodwinked into believing that is it our "right" to be comfortable and content. It is not. There is nothing in Scripture about our "rights" to comfort at all. Even our beloved forefathers in this country, describing our "inalienable rights" did not list comfort or contentment. Their list is pretty short: life, liberty, pursuit of happiness. Liberty did not mean do whatever you want to do. Liberty meant "not a slave". "Pursuit of happiness" means that pursuit is the part we get to do. Actually achieving happiness is not guaranteed at all! That seems like an unusual way to start a devotional thought, I know, but we have to break free from our sense of entitlement to go where we need to go today. 

Jesus was speaking to men who were not accustomed to handouts. They were not accustomed to depending upon the charity of others. The apostle Paul would write a few years later, "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. (1 Timothy 5:8 KJV)" These "sent ones" understood that they were to provide for their families and themselves. 

With that in mind, look at what Jesus told them to do. They were to go to the villages to which He would be going later and preach and heal. They were not to take any money with them, nor any way to work for a living (no tools). "The laborer is worthy of his wages," He said. What they would be doing would be work, and they could expect at least a subsistence living in payment. Teaching, preaching, and healing may not be manual labor, but they are exhausting work, and all that Jesus expected. 

Can you even imagine what this must have meant to these men? They were accustomed to supporting themselves. For this journey, Jesus was saying, "This time, I will support you." He did not promise elaborate accommodations, but made it clear that they would have food and shelter. With that, they should be content. 

To be sure, there must have been the possibility of discontent, because Jesus repeated Himself. "Do not keep moving from house to house." They were to be still and stay where He placed them, even if they didn't particularly like it. His provision might not be what they had expected, but it was enough and they were to receive it happily. 

This has great application for our lives today. In our society of entitlement, it is difficult to overcome the mistaken idea that we deserve more or better. We need to embrace the truth of Philippians 4:11 and live accordingly: "...for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." (Philippians 4:11 KJV) In whatever state God allows, like the apostle Paul, we are to be content until He moves us. 

At this time of year, there is a cultural impetus to want more, buy more, get more. We would do well to reconsider that flawed philosophy. This year, let's be content with what God provides. This year, let's be content. Instead of seeking more, let's seek less stuff and more Jesus. Be still. Be content. Thank God for whatever He has allowed. 

My daily fig

The insanely arctic temperatures this winter knocked the poor old fig tree pretty far down. It struggled to produce any figs at all, so the first ripe fig was a cause for great celebration. I love figs, and have an outrageous collection of fig recipes, including lemon fig preserves and fig cobbler for which I am (unfortunately) somewhat infamous. 

That first ripe fig was followed by another fig the next day, and another ripe fig the day after. It wasn't long before I walked to the barn one morning, paused at the fig tree, and thought, "Give me this day my daily fig." I laughed out loud and said, "Lord, you are too funny! Let me look for that fig you sent me!" It was there, along with two more. Breakfast!!

Days have come and gone, and still I have my daily fig. Every morning, I pick the fig and have a good laugh with the Lord. Today, I went to the barn to feed and stopped at the fig tree. No fig. "What? You aren't giving me my daily fig today?" I asked. "Maybe I'm getting something else today," I thought. Finished at the barn, I headed back to the house, out of habit stopping at the fig tree again. In the back of the tree, what looked like a little brown fig was dangling. I waded through the weeds, reached across, and at the tip of my fingers was a small ripe fig. The daily fig!

The provision of God is an amazing thing.  Like manna in the desert, His provision is as reliable as it is good. Bountiful and generous, our Father is faithful to provide for His own. The challenge for us is to keep our eyes open to recognize it and our hands and hearts open to receive it. 

Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:26, 31-33 NASB)

Chubby Robins

Looking out my kitchen window early one morning, I found the ground covered with a multitude of birds. Although it was near the end of winter, none of the birds looked sick or malnourished.  One robin was actually pudgy. 

​As I settled in with the first cup of coffee, I wondered about the chubby bird.  Clearly, the robin had not only had all it needed, it had a little more than it needed.  Jesus’ teaching on anxiety came to mind.  

“Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; and they have no storeroom nor barn; and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!”  

(Luke 12:24)

Imagine that!  Without a storeroom or a barn, the bird had managed to eat more than enough lots of days.  There was no other way to explain its expanded girth.  

​God had provided for the bird, and sent more than it needed.  I’ve read many times that anxiety wasn’t necessary because God cared for me more than for the birds and the lilies.  I’ve heard numerous sermons condemning worry and stressing faith.  Somehow, though, the chubby bird brought the truth home with startling reality.  

​I had spent so much time worrying about whether or not I’d have enough of whatever I thought I needed, that I had missed a vital principle.  Perhaps you’ve overlooked this, too.  It is not only that we are NOT to worry.  There is one little thing we must DO.  “Your Father knows that you need these things,” Jesus said.  “But seek for His kingdom, and these things shall be added to you.”  

It’s a promise you can count on.  You seek His kingdom and He meets your needs.  No worry required.  Our heavenly Father can be counted on to keep His part of the deal.  The question is – can you?

(Excerpt from upcoming book, Lessons From the Harvest, by Dr. Leanna Hollis)