Text- John 10:25-26 – "Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.”
If you have been a Christian for some time, or probably been around Christian circles long enough, you must have heard many times that we are supposed to be like, or behave like sheep. Have you ever asked what this really means?
In the next few days, I want to shed some light on what the Bible says about being a sheep, and I want you to personally answer the question, “Am I a sheep?”, or better put “Am I Christ’s sheep?”
The first thing about sheep, as we clearly see in today’s text, is that they are believers. That seems to be another common word among Christians, right? A believer is someone who believes. That is, someone who has faith or puts his/her trust in something or someone – in this case, Jesus Christ.
Believing is the most basic ingredient that makes a sheep. A sheep puts his faith and trust in Christ for salvation. A sheep understands that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone. He does not try to attain salvation by works or by merit.
Furthermore, a believer is someone who readily receives the word of God and puts his/her total faith in Him. Just as salvation comes by hearing and believing the word of grace, a believer continues to believe in every other thing recommended and prohibited by the word, whether it is palatable or not.
See what Paul wrote to the Thessalonian Church is 1 Thessalonians 1:6-7:
“And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe.”
If you evaluate your life based on the standard set by the Thessalonian Church, will you say you are a true believer?
As you go out today, I want you to be fully conscious of your status as a believer. Don’t try to imitate the world in anything you do. Live by the word, and let it order your steps and your stop; let the word be your standard and guide jkl
in all you do.
I’ll conclude today with Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian Church in Ephesians 1:15-19:
That’s why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, I couldn’t stop thanking God for you—every time I prayed, I’d think of you and give thanks. But I do more than thank. I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who believe—endless energy, boundless strength!
This is my sincere prayer for you today; that as a believer, you will grow in wisdom and revelation of the knowledge of God, and that the eyes of your understanding will be enlightened.
PRAYERS
1. Lord Jesus, You are my Lord and my savior. I profess my trust in you.
2. I make a choice today, that your word will forever be my standard and my guide. Your word will order my steps and my stops.
3. Lord, help me to continually grow in wisdom and revelation of your knowledge. Enlighten the eyes of my understanding in Jesus’ Name.
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