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Today’s Devotional:

Day 5 of Discerning the Voice of God with Priscilla Shirer:

Obedience can be an intimidating word. Depending on our upbringing and other influences from our early life, it may invoke different emotions. For some, it conjures up odious thoughts of harsh, seemingly pointless regimens of rules and regulations that are stifling and oppressive instead of life-giving and fulfilling. For others, it seems oddly devoid of intimacy and relationship, more of a never-good- enough attempt at measuring up. And for even more of us, the word itself feels like a threat to our innate desire for independence. It bristles against the fabric of our self-reliance and autonomy.

Obedience—at least the kind that our good, loving, sovereign God requires—is neither legalistic nor lacking in affection. Although it places needed boundaries and demands on us—as in, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me” (Matt. 16:24)—each bit of instruction He gives is born out of the tenderness of His heart toward us and His desire to steer us toward His best for our lives. Obedience is not a no; it is actually His best yes. It swims in oceans of grace and leads us to freedom, wholeness, and health. It opens us up to His unbridled blessing and abundance.

The irony of obedience is like a delicate dance of trust. It may require real sacrifice from us, while somehow leading to blessing and incomparable abundance.

   • It binds us while concurrently loosing us.

   • It holds us tightly while also letting us go.

   • It redirects us only to replenish and renew us.

   • It restrains us while simultaneously releasing us.

   • It limits us while also opening up spacious possibility.

Without our intentional surrender to the former, we cannot experience the benefits of the latter—benefits that are so important and hold so much incredible promise, we can hardly afford to leave them to chance. We must plan and intentionally strategize to pursue them, to pursue obedience. If left to our flesh’s tendencies toward rebellion, we will live in a consistent state of resistance toward God and His ways.

But if we (literally) plan to obey, we put ourselves in position any day of the week to hear what He wants us to do next, and then to have Him bless us with the supernatural joy of following Him.  

Today’s Bible Verse is a passage out of Luke 15:11-32 King James Version.

And he said, A certain man had two sons:
And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

John Chapter 10 Bible Study

Vs 1. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

Speaking is Jesus. Thief is Satan.

Vs. 2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

The shepherd uses the door and a thief does not.

Vs. 3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

Shepherd knows our name. The shepherd is Jesus. A little known fact is that shepherds have certain calling sounds that only their sheep knows. So, when someone tries to steal their sheep the sheep don’t respond. It’s a distinct calling.

Same with Jesus only those who know and hear His voice.

Vs. 4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. Vs. 5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

By knowing Jesus’ voice we will respond by any other vocie we would flee from it.

Vs. 6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

For when Jesus spoke the Pharisees didn’t understand. So, he goes on to repeat himself.

Vs. 7. Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the  door of the sheep. Vs. 8. All that enter came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

Remember He said this in vs. 4 and vs. 5 previously and had to restate it. When you don’t know the Lord you will not understand. Once you are a child of God you will understand His word and know His voice.

Vs. 9. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

Jesus is saying He is the door and through Him we are saved.

The next verse I went into more in depth study. It was my focus point for this chapter.

Vs. 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Let’s begin by the word thief. Who is the thief? The thief is Satan. If we back up to John 10: 1 & 10:8 He (Satan) comes for his own selfish purposes and to ruin the flock.

I am come that they might have life the one speaking is God. As oppose to the thief who comes to steal, kill, & destroy.

In vs. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Do you see the vast differences between the thief and the shepherd? One comes to kill the other to save.

See Luke 19 vs. 9 & 10 and John 6 vs 50 & 51

That they may have life eternal. The word eternal speaks of forever. See John 10: 28.

Last line in vs. 10 And that they may have life more abundantly. The abundance of life which results in Chirst’s coming is contrusted with the spiritual wants and death which He came to remove. Reminds us of Psalm 23. This is through Him given to men abundantly, overflowingly.

Vs. 12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. Vs. 13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

The word hireling is a lower position than the household servant. Thought follows that of the good shepherd who in time of danger will give his own life for the sheep. The hireling has no interest in the sheep and care only as far as to the secure his own hire.

Vs 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. Vs. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. Vs 16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

Vs 17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. Vs 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

I lay down my life, that I might take it up again. This speaks of Jesus going to the cross and then rising three days later. Death has no hold on Him as He gave His life freely for us. God gave Jesus the power to lay down His life and take it up again scriptures foretold of this and while He said these things they didn’t understand nor believe.

Vs 19 There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings. Vs 20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him? Vs 21 Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind? Vs 22 Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind? Vs. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch.

24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Vs 25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. Vs 26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. Vs 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: Vs 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. Vs 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. Vs 30 I and my Father are one.

He told them and they didn’t believe. Why could they not believe? They were not His sheep.

Their response was vs 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

Took up stones to stone Him. Why? Jesus spoke truth. They could not understand nor believe.

Jesus reply in verse 32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

The Jews respondses back calling it blasphemy in verse 33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

They were told of His coming and yet still did not believe. They have seenwhat He has done and still not getting it.

Vs 34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? Vs 35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; vs 36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? Vs 37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. Vs 38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

He reminds them of the scriptures and to believe the works done by that of the Father. The Father is in me and I in him.

Vs 39 Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand, vs 40 And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode. Vs 41 And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true. Vs 42 And many believed on him there.

The Jews would not believe and sought to capture and stone him. He left to go to those who would believe in him.