Oct 07 2024

Today's Bible Verse

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

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In this verse from John's gospel, Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees. He calls himself a "good shepherd," one who gives life to His sheep, or those who follow Him. This morning we'll consider what it means for Jesus to be a good shepherd, including how that affects our lives today.

In ancient Israel, where Jesus lived, a shepherd would guard the sheep. If a lion came to attack them, a shepherd would scare it away or fight it. If a sheep got lost, the shepherd would find it. A good shepherd was someone who did all these tasks in an exemplary way. This is symbolic of what Jesus does for each of us: He guards us and protects us from our enemies.

Jesus emphasizes that a shepherd gives life to the sheep, and this can be interpreted in several ways. First, Jesus makes us alive. Whereas we were once dead in our sins, now we are alive in Christ. We have been given life and the ability to say no to sin. Our hearts are alive because of the love that Christ has for us, and we are now capable of living holy lives.

Another way of understanding this verse is that a shepherd gives his life for his sheep—and this is exactly what Jesus did. We were hopeless in our sin and there was no way we could ever atone for it. But Jesus made a way. He chose to endure a painful death on the cross. Because Jesus gave His life for us, we are able to know God. Like a good shepherd, Jesus laid down His life so that we might live.

If you ever feel alone, or uncertain, or just lost in a world that is far from God, remember that you have a Shepherd watching over you. He has proven His love for you over and over again, and He will never turn His back on you.

Remember that Jesus is your shepherd. Follow Him with certainty that you can trust Him.

Today's Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you so much for Jesus. Thank you for being a good shepherd. I could not ask for more watchful or loving eyes to be on me as I live my life. Help me to honor you. I love you, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Oct 06 2024

Yesterday's Bible Verse

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. :

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Yesterday's Bible study

In today's verse, the Lord is speaking to the prophet Jeremiah, saying that those who trust and hope in Him will be blessed. Let's consider the context of this verse and think about how it affects the way that we live today.

While this might seem simple on the surface, the context of the verse highlights the importance of choosing to trust and hope in the Lord. God had just told Jeremiah that the kingdom of Judah would be destroyed. Because Judah was not faithful and did not trust in God alone, the kingdom fell. God wanted the kingdom's trust; when its members rejected Him, the Lord allowed the kingdom to be destroyed.

Today, we have many reasons to trust the Lord. Perhaps the greatest of these is the incredible display of love for us that Jesus showed when he died on the cross. Jesus lived a perfect life, completely blameless, but was willing to endure a painful death so we could be saved. He did this for one reason: because He loved us. There is no question that we can trust someone who loves us that much.

As the verse indicates, we are blessed when we trust in the Lord. Because He has proven himself faithful through Jesus, we know that he will fulfill His many promises about our own future: In Revelation 21:4, we learn that He will wipe every tear from our eyes. In Galatians 6:8, we read about our assurance of eternal life. In 2 Timothy 2:11, we're told that we will live with Jesus forever. We can cling to these and other promises from God even when it seems like our own lives are falling apart. They are anchored not in this world, but in the Word of a God who is always faithful.

If you are struggling right now, whatever may be troubling you, set your heart and mind on trusting the Lord. The greatest blessing that trusting Him offers is peace… a steady anchor in an ocean of constant uncertainty. This is exactly what Jesus offers to those who trust Him.

Yesterday's Prayer

Dear Lord, I want the peace that can only come from trusting and hoping in you. Help me to cling to your promises and to set my hopes in you above all else. I love you, Lord, and I thank you for being a perfect and faithful savior. In Jesus' name, amen.
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