Message: We have lots of things in this world competing to rule over us and trying to lure us in to follow other voices. They don’t lead us from the heart though because they don’t HAVE a heart for us. They are self serving and they try to entice us to follow it’s voices in other ways. When we do we are led into dangerous territory, and when trouble comes we are abandoned and left exposed and on our own. Jesus compared those voices to a hired servant who does not enter the sheep pen legitimately, but comes in through another way. Jesus called them a robber and a thief. He does not care about the sheep. He leads them into dangerous territory and then abandons the sheep when the wolf comes. Jesus is our shepherd and has the only legitimate access to the sheep pen because he IS the door of access. We recognize his voice because he loves us and leads us into safe pasture where he watches over us. He will never abandon us or leave us vulnerable to the wolf because his love is real and sacrificial. Instead, he laid his own life down to save us all.
Command: Pay attention to the source of the voices that are competing to lead me. What are the motives and where are they leading me into.
Promise: Jesus will NEVER abandon me! He ha sacrificed his own life to save me so I can be assured with complete confidence that wherever he leads me is for my good and he will protect me if I heed to HIS voice.
Warning: If I run away and follow the lead of the wrong voices I leave the safety of the sheep fold where I will be abandoned by the voice that led me away and will be left exposed.
Application: This is such a huge reminder that I need to pay attention to the allure of the voices trying to pull me away. If I listen carefully I will recognize the difference in the sound of the voice of MY shepherd and will not be fooled by the voice of a stranger.
