6/19 Ezekiel 34:1-4
1 Then this message came to me from the LORD: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds, the leaders of Israel. Give them this message from the Sovereign LORD: Destruction is certain for you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn’t shepherds feed their sheep? 3 You drink the milk, wear the wool, and butcher the best animals, but you let your flocks starve. 4 You have not taken care of the weak. You have not tended the sick or bound up the broken bones. You have not gone looking for those who have wandered away and are lost. Instead, you have ruled them with force and cruelty.
JESUS
Jesus is our shepherd. He has our best interest at heart. He gives us life and light for living. He is involved in every aspect of our life. Go to Jesus and He will give you real life.
Category - Devotionals
6/18 John 10:39-42
Once again they tried to arrest him, but he got away and left them. 40 He went beyond the Jordan River to stay near the place where John was first baptizing. 41 And many followed him. “John didn’t do miracles,” they remarked to one another, “but all his predictions about this man have come true.” 42 And many believed in him there.
BELIEVE
Do you believe in Jesus? You should. He is seeking you. Let Him have your life. Surrender yourself to Him repenting of your sin and trusting Jesus to save you. You have seen Jesus work in your own life and in the life of many you know. Let Him change you giving you a new life and light for living.
6/17 John 10:31-38
Once again the Jewish leaders picked up stones to kill him. 32 Jesus said, “At my Father’s direction I have done many things to help the people. For which one of these good deeds are you killing me?” 33 They replied, “Not for any good work, but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, have made yourself God.” 34 Jesus replied, “It is written in your own law that God said to certain leaders of the people, ‘I say, you are gods!’ 35 And you know that the Scriptures cannot be altered. So if those people, who received God’s message, were called ‘gods,’ 36 why do you call it blasphemy when the Holy One who was sent into the world by the Father says, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 Don’t believe me unless I carry out my Father’s work. 38 But if I do his work, believe in what I have done, even if you don’t believe me. Then you will realize that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father.”
LORD
Jesus is with the Father and Holy Spirit and they are one. When we pray to Jesus, talk with Jesus, focus our life on Jesus we are focusing on the Father and Holy Spirit. As Jesus molds us and we become more like Him we are becoming what the Father created us to be. Jesus makes us a member of God’s family and we are under the ownership of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Serve the Lord and grow in Jesus. Today claim His life.
6/16 John 10:22-30
It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah. 23 He was at the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jewish leaders surrounded him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is what I do in the name of my Father. 26 But you don’t believe me because you are not part of my flock. 27 My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them away from me, 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. So no one can take them from me. 30 The Father and I are one.”
LORD
Jesus is Lord. He is worthy of all of our praise and adoration. Thank Him today for His love and power in your life. Claim His presence and experience His direction and guidance. Jesus is Lord.
6/15 John 10:17-21
“The Father loves me because I lay down my life that I may have it back again. 18 No one can take my life from me. I lay down my life voluntarily. For I have the right to lay it down when I want to and also the power to take it again. For my Father has given me this command.” 19 When he said these things, the people were again divided in their opinions about him. 20 Some of them said, “He has a demon, or he’s crazy. Why listen to a man like that?” 21 Others said, “This doesn’t sound like a man possessed by a demon! Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
SERVANT
Christ came for us. He has experienced the difficulties of life that we face. He knows the magnitude of heartache we experience. He also knows that life in this world is fundamentally unfair. Jesus will change your life and give you eternal life from now unto forever.
6/14 John 10:10-16
The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness. 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will leave the sheep because they aren’t his and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. 13 The hired hand runs away because he is merely hired and has no real concern for the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, 15 just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice; and there will be one flock with one shepherd.
SHEPHERD
You do not have to wonder if Jesus has you on His heart. He does. When you cry out to Him He hears. You are never alone. He knows your pain and sorrow. He will bind up your wounds and heal your heartache. Jesus is able to equip us to face the day to day of life. He brings real life and a bright light to our situation.
6/13 John 10:6-9
Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, 7 so he explained it to them. “I assure you, I am the gate for the sheep,” he said. 8 “All others who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. 9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. Wherever they go, they will find green pastures.
ONE WAY
Jesus told us that He is the only way to the Father. Any other way is not recognized. Any other way leaves us out of His family. We don’t decide how God will do things. He tells us that Jesus is the way the truth and life. Jesus is Lord and Christ. He is our salvation.
6/12 John 10:1-5
1 “I assure you, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! 2 For a shepherd enters through the gate. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they recognize his voice. 5 They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t recognize his voice.”
SHEPHERD
Jesus is our shepherd. We recognize His voice. We are part of His family. As we look at His Word and spend time with Him, we get to know Him and know when He is speaking with us. Today whatever you face remember that Jesus knows your name and He is your shepherd.
6/11 1 Peter 2:15-25
15 It is God’s will that your good lives should silence those who make foolish accusations against you. 16 You are not slaves; you are free. But your freedom is not an excuse to do evil. You are free to live as God’s slaves. 17 Show respect for everyone. Love your Christian brothers and sisters. Fear God. Show respect for the king. 18 You who are slaves must accept the authority of your masters. Do whatever they tell you — not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are harsh. 19 For God is pleased with you when, for the sake of your conscience, you patiently endure unfair treatment. 20 Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing right and are patient beneath the blows, God is pleased with you. 21 This suffering is all part of what God has called you to. Christ, who suffered for you, is your example. Follow in his steps. 22 He never sinned, and he never deceived anyone. 23 He did not retaliate when he was insulted. When he suffered, he did not threaten to get even. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly. 24 He personally carried away our sins in his own body on the cross so we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. You have been healed by his wounds! 25 Once you were wandering like lost sheep. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.
HUMILITY
Submission to Christ teaches humility. It is a trait we desperately need to learn. We are a nation of violent people unwilling to reach out in submission to others. Too often might makes right. We don’t need might to do God’s will in actuality we need humility. The question is will I obey the Lord? If I do obey Him then I must serve Him and the only way I can serve Him is from a mindset of humility.
6/10 1 Peter 2:11-14
11 Dear brothers and sisters, you are foreigners and aliens here. So I warn you to keep away from evil desires because they fight against your very souls. 12 Be careful how you live among your unbelieving neighbors. Even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will believe and give honor to God when he comes to judge the world. 13 For the Lord’s sake, accept all authority — the king as head of state, 14 and the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish all who do wrong and to honor those who do right.
I WILL
I will follow God’s plan for this life. He has appointed folks to take care of the rules and regulations of life – honor them and the Lord will honor you. Remember that Jesus is coming back. This day is a day of preparation for His return. Live as though Jesus were coming back immediately. Let His direction change your life.