THE GOOD SHEPHERD
Wednesday – May 29, 2019, Iyar 24, 5779
Greetings dear friends and partners of Eastern Gate Ministries International and The Three Minute Word publication. The pictures this week are from a recent trip Donna and I took to Boothbay, Maine. God is so good, He will, if we allow Him, make all things new again. Whatever the enemy has stolen, our God stands ready and eager to restore. Before we move into this powerful Bible Study of the Book of John let me remind those who are reading this on Facebook to hit the “like” and “share” buttons. Now let’s read our primary Bible text aloud.
John 10:9-13 (KJV)
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.
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.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
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.
13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
I will move forward into verse eleven today. Jesus is the door, the one and only way into the Kingdom of God with citizenship and a home in Heaven. Not only is He the way but He is the Shepherd. He not only allows us to enter, but encourages us to exercise our freewill choosing Him. When we do, He becomes our guide in the Kingdom of God. He (Jesus, the Word) is our guide through the person of the Holy Spirit.
John 14:15-19 (KJV)
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
The Comforter is a facet or function of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is with each of us and as Jesus pointed out to them that day and to us this day, He is in us (those born again). Jesus in His earthly ministry could only be in one place at a time for He was not functioning as God but as a man, a sinless man. The Holy Spirit on the other hand is a co-equal (third) person of the Triune God. According to The Complete Word Study Dictionary – New Testament the word “comforter” in our text means to comfort, encourage or exhort. Of course, the Holy Spirit, the Comforter does way more in our lives than comfort, encourage, and exhort. For example, He is our Teacher and He is the Power that flows through us when released by our faith, in love, and led of Him (the Holy Spirit as directed from the Throne of Grace). Notice verse fifteen (the number of rest or provision) from our secondary text tells us that love and the keeping of His commandments are inseparably linked. Recall that love, is the Greek word ‘agape’ which is broadly defined as obeying the Scripture, being selfless (dead to self), and walking according to the Blood Covenant.
John 13:34-35 (KJV)
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Walking in love, in selflessness, dead to self, is to walk as Jesus walked, to love as Jesus loved, as God Himself loves. Jesus was a unique Son in His origin, birth, and also in His mission which was to destroy the works of the devil. The destruction of the works of the devil could only occur by His shed blood, death, victory in Hell (Blood of the innocent Lamb of God, and the words of His testimony), and His resurrection. There can be no work of faith in our lives without the walk of love. Also, it is impossible to please God without faith. It is also impossible to love God when we don’t love our fellow man. When we put God first, and our neighbor first we have given our life, we have laid down our life for theirs. Sounds counterintuitive but in this way comes great victory into our own lives. Looks like we have our work cut out for us, but with diligence we succeed and walk in victory pushing the Kingdom forward. Our purpose is to show forth the goodness (glory) of God in our lives and to further the Christian faith.
Until our next publication, as a Bible Teacher and Prophetic Voice I speak this blessing over each and every one of you, receive it by faith in Jesus name!
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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