Notes of Faith July 12, 2024
Safe and Secure
I am the door of the sheep.
John 10:7
Warren Wiersbe explained John 10:1-6 like this: “The middle Eastern sheepfold was very simple: a stone wall, perhaps ten feet high, surrounded it, and an opening served as the door. The shepherds in the village would drive their sheep into the fold at nightfall and leave the porter to stand guard. In the morning each shepherd would call his own sheep, which would recognize their shepherd’s voice and come out of the fold. The porter (or one of the shepherds) would sleep at the opening of the fold and actually become ‘the door.’”1
Jesus said He was the Door. When we are in Him, we have the stone walls of His protective care all around us, and He Himself stands guard to make sure we’re “safe and secure from all alarm,” as we sing in an old Gospel song. Take a deep breath today and remember that you don’t need to be afraid. Jesus, the Door, is your protective Shepherd.
Every day may be a day of blessing, every hour an hour of victory, if but lived in the thought that Jehovah in his might is your shepherd.
J. Wilber Chapman
Rom 8:28-3928 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written,
"FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG;
WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED."
37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lor
All things means all things…there is nothing that is occurs out of the sovereign authority and control of God. And there is nothing that can separate us from Him. We must look forward through the trials of this life to see God bringing His perfect plan to completion. Pain, suffering, death, cannot cause fear, but rather draw us closer to the moment when we will be in the physical presence of Jesus! He is with us even now, as the Scripture says, His Spirit dwells within the believer in Him to guide, direct, convict, enable, ensure, comfort and much more. The God who dwells within is the same God who was, who is, and who will always be.
Isa 53:6
All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him. (Jesus)
Believe in Jesus! Have joy and peace eternally and now as well! Listen to and follow the Shepherd who knows and loves His sheep.
Pastor Dale