One Shepherd -

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.”
John 10:27

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them. Are you listening to the voice of the Lord? Those who truly listen are in the Lord’s hand, because he knows them. Do you believe the Lord knows you? Those who believe know that God is faithful for God cannot deny himself [see 2 Timothy 2:13]. Hearing his voice is to know that he listens to our outburst. Christ has suffered every human pain that we feel, therefore we can come to him in prayer knowing that he hears us and understands us. It was Jesus who said that he knows the sheep that hears his voice. Did you know that the word “voice,” is not only what you hear, but what is being express in the written word. Remember the three different voices in writing, the individual character’s, the authors, and the narrators. Each have their own voice in writing, and we listen to that voice to know their thoughts.

One has to read the whole story to understand what is being said and what it means. God wants his sheep to hear his voice and believe. As humans we must confirm what is being said is the truth. We must have faith and the assurance that God is faithful. Let’s look at what the apostle Paul said in second Timothy.

Nevertheless, the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, the Lord knows them that are his; and, let everyone that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
2 Timothy 2:19

The first thing we must realize is that the foundation of God stands firm with a seal that he knows those who belong to him. God is trustworthy in all manner of life. It is God through his son Jesus that gives us eternal life and we shall never perish [see John 10:28]. If we believe our life is made secured under the mighty hand of God, we will know without a doubt that Jesus is who he claims to be. That is why Paul exclaimed, “what can separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” None of these conditions can separate us from the love of Christ if we believe in the written word of God. Not even physical death will separate us from the love of Christ. Paul is adamant in his statement when he said, “nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us, [ see Romans 8:35-39]. Those who follow Christ and listen to his voice will never perish or be plucked out of the hand of God. We have this assurance for life. In all these things we are more than conquerors through Christ.

It is unbelief that keeps some Christians today wandering in the wilderness. Detachment from God and unbelief in him keeps you in the wilderness instead of coming into God’s green pastures. Can we exclaim the same as what King David said, that the “Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters,” [see Psalms 23: 1-2]. We must hear the voice of the shepherd in order to be led to the green pastures and the still waters. Can we stay close to the shepherd and be comforted? One must believe in who He is in order to hear and follow him. It is faith unfeigned in Jesus Christ that the promises of God are made real. We must remember that Jesus said the following.

If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believe.”
Mark 9:23

All things are possible to him that believe. If we feel we do not have faith, we can say like the father of the child who needed a miracle, “Lord I believe; help thou mine unbelief,” [see Mark 9:24]. This father wanted his dumb and deaf child to be healed. Jesus fulfilled the father’s desire and charged the dumb and deaf spirit to come out of the child, [see verses 25 and 26 of Mark chapter 9]. Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief is the realization of trust in who Jesus is. Remember that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith [see Hebrews 12:2]. We must believe that it is possible with God while it is impossible with man. It was Jesus who said, “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep,” [John 10:11]. Who will stay with the sheep when the wolf comes? Think carefully before answering this question. Take a look further down in chapter 10 of John to verse 16.

And the other sheep I have, that 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.”
John 10:16

One shepherd of all and one big fold. The other sheep are the Gentiles who are the other nations besides Israel. How amazing is that the words of Jesus would reveal all nations to be in the fold. We must hear and follow Jesus for He laid down his life that he may take it up again. Jesus said that no man can take this away from him. Why? Because Jesus was given this commandment by the father. What was the commandment? The commandments given by God to Israel for the offerings of sins. God did not take pleasure in the burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin, [see Hebrews 10:6]. God took away the burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin by establishing a new law through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all, [see Hebrews 10:10]. There is now no more offering for sin because Jesus has fulfilled the offerings for sins.

Let us read and hear the word of God. Let us repent and ask God to change our hearts. Let us serve the LORD with gladness and come before his presence with singing, [Psalms 100:2]. We are sanctified by Jesus offering himself on the cross. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith. Full assurance without any doubt whatsoever in Jesus Christ. Our inheritance will be made available to those who believe. Just think about the missionaries who go into dangerous places for the gospel of Jesus Christ. The harvest is ripe, and they are called to go and reap the harvest.

“Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.”
Joel 3:14

Just look at the current map of Christian persecution and begin to pray for God’s hand to move upon these nations. Pray for the Christian workers who are staying to help within these countries. Below is the picture of the current world watch list of nations where Christians are being persecuted. This is Brother Andrews organization known as “Open Doors“, who are helping persecuted Christians around the world. Brother Andrews smuggled bibles in the communist counties such as the Soviet Union. Andrews story in the book titled, ‘God’s Smuggler’, is still available today. Check out the web site OpenDoors and read about what is happening today. We can pray and prepare our own heart for the multitudes in the valley of decision. The harvest is ripe right in your own neighborhood. Will you hear the call of the shepherd?

Let us heed the call of the true shepherd and follow him with a true heart of confession, in Jesus’ name, amen.

That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.“
1 John 1:3

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hears my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Revelation 3:20

Do you hear Him knocking at your door? Are you safe within the sheepfold of God? Jesus said, ‘I am the door of the sheep,” [see John 10:7]. How can Jesus come and sup with us? If anyone claims to be Christ, we know it is not true, or do we? Jesus told us in verse 8 of chapter ten of John that all that ever came before him were thieves and robbers. Thieves and robbers! These days, it is all about who you trust. The door has a lock, and you have the key to unlocking it. He is knocking at the door every day. Will you open the door? The door is your relationship with God. Your communication with the almighty God. Is it open or closed? Only you yourself can answer that question. But to know God you must open the door. There are two doors that the priest goes through to the mercy seat and between the two cherubim is where God communes with the priest, [see Exodus 25:22]. This is the same place where God spoke to Moses in the tabernacle in Numbers 7:89. God desires a place to commune with His people.

The open door speaks to not only communication, but relationship. One must communicate in order to have a relationship. For many, God is distant because they do not know how to communicate to the Almighty one. Yet, Jesus said, “I will come into him and sup with him.” We must know the importance of the door that Jesus claims to be. What does it mean to hear his voice and have him [sup with us]. We can read about Jesus and the Father’s relationship in the Bible. But we must first go back to the day of atonement where the priest had to make sacrifices not only for himself but for the people as well for all their sins. This sacrifice opens the door for communications with God. But God did not take pleasure in these sacrifices for sin [see Hebrews 10:6]. He made a new covenant where only one sacrifice for sins was made forever, [see Hebrews 10:12]. It is the offering of the body of Jesus Christ who become the final and only sacrifice for sins. In this final sacrifice was God pleased. That is why Jesus is the shepherd because He laid down his own life for the sheep [see John 10:11].

I am the door; by me if any man enters in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
John 10:9

Jesus is the door to which we can enter into the Holy place where the mercy set is. We can enter in by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, [see Hebrew 10-19-22]. When we enter the door of Jesus, we enter into the mercy seat of God. Jesus is the blood sacrifice for our sins, and therefore, we are able to commune with God. We can come boldly to the throne of grace because of Jesus. That is why we can draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith. Because we have had our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience through faith in Jesus Christ. Let us hold fast our profession of faith. Let us not waver in our faith in Christ Jesus. We enter in by faith and that is believing and receiving what God has revealed to us in the Scriptures. Do we trust in God and in Jesus Christ whom God sent? That is a question that each of us must answer for ourselves. Each person must answer the question if they believe in that “God so loved the world that He gave us His only son in that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life,” [see John 3:16]. One cannot come to the God any other way but through Jesus Christ who is the propitiation for our sins.

I say unto you, He that entered not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbed up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.”
John 10:1

There is that thief and robber again. There is only one way to come to God, and that is through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the door to eternal life. All other methods are considered as a thief or robbers of your soul and life. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” [John 14:6]. We have a heavenly Father who is merciful.

I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”
Hebrew 8:12

The heavenly Father will be merciful to us, and He will not remember your sins anymore. He will not remember your sins. He sees you through the eyes of Jesus. Jesus and the Father had a personal relationship with each other. Jesus knows the Father and that speaks to an intimate relationship. Jesus said, “as the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep,” [see John 10:15]. Take a look at the very next verse of John chapter ten. In verse 16, Jesus speaks about the other sheep he has, and those other sheep hear his voice. The other sheep are those who are not of the Jewish fold. These are the Gentiles who were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel having no hope and without God in the world, but now are a part of the commonwealth through the blood of Christ, [see Ephesians 2:12-13]. How exciting is that? Jesus is our peace who hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us. We are all one in Christ and the Father receives us because of Christ sacrifice. Our faith and confession are a testimony to God and to others.

Our confession of faith is very important because it speaks to where we stand. We are either in the fold of the shepherd or we stand outside of the gate/door. Jesus tells us to fear not because we are more valuable than the all the sparrows. If we confess Christ before men, then Christ will confess us before the Father who is in heaven, [see Matthew 10:32]. But look at verse 33 of Mathew chapter ten, for it states that if we deny Christ, He will deny us before the Father in heaven. We must remember that He is always faithful, but mere man stumbles in his own belief. We must repent in order to revive our soul and have the door open to the pastures again whereby we may communicate. At the end of this age the church who is in revival are those who hear his voice and God knows of their works, for he has set before them an open door and no man can shut the door that He opens. God opens the door unto those who have kept His word and who have not denied His name [see Revelation 3:8]. Those who are His know that of themselves they are nothing, but with God they have become strong. They know their position in Christ and all things become possible because of their faith.

You must know the father and the son. Jesus said, “I and the Father are one.” Are you one with Christ? If you are one with Christ, then you are His followers and listen to His voice. This means you get acquainted with him and his ways. You read his will and testament to become familiar with his way. The Holy Spirit will teach us and guide us into its meaning [see John 14:26]. This means whatever you do, you do as unto the Lord and not unto yourselves. This means that we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works and not evil, [see Ephesians 2:10]. Jesus himself said he could do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do, He does. He had an intimate relationship with the Father and the Father revealed to Jesus what he should do. Let him teach you what you should do. Read his word daily and pray for understanding. Jesus exclaims that if you know him, you know the Father. This is such an amazing statement, and we many just gloss over it without giving it careful thought.

When you are reading any book, do you not look at the “characters” of the book? To know the characters is to know something about them. Thus, the Bible explains the character of God in who he is and what he has done. If you believe in God, you must also believe in Jesus Christ. If you do not, then how can He prepare a place for you in heaven. Remember that Jesus is the door, the way, the truth, and the life.

Category: One Shepherd

My Sheep Hear

I am the Door