Tuesday, August 22, 2017

SHEPHERDS & RANCHERS

  A shepherd leads the flock, but a rancher drives the herd.
  Are you a shepherd, or a rancher?
  We will see.
  A shepherd will lead in front of the flock, but a rancher drives from the rear.
  Because the sheep know the voice of the shepherd, they will follow him; but a rancher will poke and prod the herd from the rear.
  The rancher will also hire cow punchers, who constantly poke and prod the head to get them to do the will of the rancher.
  Because the shepherd is in front of the flock, he can see the danger of the deep water, the valley of the shadow of death, as he can also see the green pastures, the happy feeding grounds.
  But because the cow punches are in the rear, they can see nothing  that is in front of the herd, which is why the herd can be driven over a cliff and to their deaths because the cow punchers have no vision of the future.

  The Bible says,
    "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."  (Isaiah 53: 6)

  Jesus said,
      "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:  and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  My Father, which gave them to me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand."  (John 10: 27-29)

   I, too, was once a sheep gone astray, for I had turned my own way. 
   But when I heard the voice of the Great Shepherd calling my name, early in the morning of April 27, 1995, I knew  that voice---and I followed Him to my salvation; after which He restored me into the flock because of His love, grace, and tender mercy.


   
     


    
   
 
   

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