Know the Good Shepherd's Voice

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 

John 10:10-11 NIV

Sometimes we tend to overcomplicate things. Christ is the good shepherd, we need to know his voice. If you know the his Word, the Bible, you'll know his voice. By his knowing the Bible I can discern the truth. I used to hear pastors say, "You need to compare what I say with what the Bible says and if they don't match up, forget what I say." 

I am leery when I hear about looking within ourselves for the truth, when my emotions become the divining rod for the truth. Christ is the truth. The Bible tells the truth about God. My experience is filtered through the truth found in the Word of God, the Bible. Know the Word, Know the Shepherd's voice 

You Can't Select Your Savior Options

I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.

2 John 1:7-8  NIV

Let's face it and say it how it truly is. If you don't get Jesus as the Bible says he is, straight up, no changes, you don't know Jesus. He is not the brother of any angel, he is not just a prophet, he is not just a good man, he is not a god. He is the God of the universe, Creator of all things and he came to earth as a man, in the flesh, died and rose again, conquering death and sin. 

Get this straight. You don't decide on the options you think would be nice in a god and a savior. You choose to believe in Jesus as he declared himself to be or don't. Jesus who came in the flesh declared, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except me." (John 14:6) To know Christ on a deeper level is to understand the depths to that which is true. 

I once visited a seminary to see if I wanted to go there. I sat in on a class. The teacher was from England and he was lecturing on the implied teaching of the trinity in the old testament. Frankly, I had a tough time staying awake. After he was done some of the students asked me what I thought of him. Well, I was blessed to spend a year at Capernwray Bible school in England so I was used to British accents, so, I wasn't that impressed. I actually thought he spoke a lot to say a little. My point is that sometimes in our desire to know Christ on a deeper level we listened to eloquent teachers who say all kinds of things, right or wrong. If what is taught isn't taking us back to the depths and riches of the love of God found in Christ who came in the flesh, then be very careful to not lose what you already have.

Father, thank you for the truth in Christ. Open the eyes of our understanding to know the depth of you love for us in Christ. Praise be to you in us today!

Have the Son. Have Life.

He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

I John 5:12

It's pretty straightforward isn't it? If you want to have eternal life, you must have the Son of God. 

In John 10:10 Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." There are a plethora of religious and spiritual offerings out there that appeal to a lot of different emotions and inner needs. But, unless they believe that Jesus, the Son of God came as a real person, died and rose again, they are just thieves seeking to steal your soul and keep you from eternal life in Christ. 

There really isn't much to say after that. Some beliefs may offer self satisfaction through works. Some may deny all deity and look only to themselves and so called reason for answers. But, all are deceptive lies that will lead people away from the truth, from eternal life in Christ. 

Do you have the Son?