Tag: danger

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Lent, LGG Study, Quiet Time

You Made Me Bold

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Lent – A Season of Drawing Close to God / w2d5

THE JOURNEY (SCRIPTURE AND OBSERVATION)

Scripture: Esther 4; and SOAP: Psalm 138:3

When I cried out for help, you answered me.
You made me bold and energized me.

Psalm 138:3 NLT

Who doesn’t love the story of Esther?1 A Jewish maiden who became queen of Persia and rescued her people from a murderous plot to annihilate them. If you read chapter four or know the story, you understand that the rescue almost didn’t happen. Whether it was respect for the law, which required an invitation from the king to enter the inner courts, or whether it was out of fear of the outcome – which was death, Esther’s first response to Mordecai’s message to appeal to the king for her people was a hard pass.

However, when Mordecai confronted Esther with a message of truth, “Don’t imagine that because you are part of the king’s household you will be the one Jew who will escape. If you keep quiet at this time, liberation and protection for the Jews will appear from another source, while you and your father’s household perish. It may very well be that you have achieved royal status for such a time as this!” – Esther 4:13-14 – Esther understood, and she surrendered to the truth of who she was as a Jewish maiden who had been chosen queen. She proceeded with wisdom, inciting fasting2 from her people and even her female attendants – with the hope that God might use her to save her people from annihilation.

LIVING THE JOURNEY (APPLICATION)

Esther had to be reminded that she was more than a queen; she was also a Jew. We, too, must remember who we are in Christ. Regardless of our place in this world, we must not forget that we are in a relationship with a wonderful and loving God who has invited us to call out to Him – to cast our cares and anxieties on Him because He cares for us and has promised that He will answer. We must courageously surrender to Him regardless of the outcome and trust that He will give us the boldness and strength we need to act on our commitment.

Afterward I will go to the king, even though it violates the law. If I perish, I perish.”

Esther 4:16b NET
PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY

Father, standing for You when we know it may subject us to danger or ridicule isn’t always easy. Like Esther, our first response may be a hard pass; please help us surround ourselves with those who will speak the truth. Help us be so immersed in Your Word that we know the truth and surrender to it with the boldness of Esther.

THE MORE WE KNOW

1 Who was Esther in the Bible?

2 “-the purpose of fasting should be to take your eyes off the things of this world to focus completely on God. Fasting is a way to demonstrate to God, and to ourselves, that we are serious about our relationship with Him. Fasting helps us gain a new perspective and a renewed reliance upon God.” – read the rest 

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Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study
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An Abundant Life with the Good Shepherd

Recommended Reading: John 10:1-21 and SOAP: John 10:9-11

9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. 10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. 11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. 

John 10:9-11
From lurking danger to safe pasture

Jesus uses two more “I AM” statements in this passage to teach the people who He is. We’ve become quite used to the conversational style lessons of Jesus that John presents in His Gospel, however, today’s passage appears to be more of a one-sided, lecture style lesson – and boy is it a doozy! It’s packed with sheep, a shepherd, and a gate, there are thieves, robbers, a wolf and danger lurking just outside the gate, but there is also safe pasture and the good shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep.

The Gate and the good shepherd

To understand verses 9-11 you will really need to read what comes before it as Jesus begins in verse 1 developing the scene and setting His listeners up to understand His message. The hope is that when He transitions to the analogy of Him being both the gate (or the door, as it says in some translations) and the good shepherd they will be able to acknowledge and even fully embrace the person that is standing before them as the One whom God sent to save them. You see, the people who were listening would have not only understood His references to the sheep pen, the shepherd, the sheep, and the dangers – but even better, when He began to say that He was the gate/door and He was the good Shepherd they would have started realizing the deeper meaning of what – or should I say who He was claiming to be. He knew that many of them would remember the prophecy from long ago about the Shepherd that God would send to tend His flock, Micah 5:4. He wanted them to know that just like the gate of the sheep pen was the only way in and out for the sheep – He was ‘the only way’ to God for the people. He also wanted them to know Him as ‘the Good Shepherd’ who will not only keep them safe but one day lay down His life for them.

The Warning and the hope

Within the analogy came a warning – one of danger from the predators whose goal was “to steal and kill and destroy” the sheep. He called these predators thieves and robbers, and He talked of strangers and wolves, warning them that unless they were under the care of the true Shepherd and knew the difference between the stranger and the Good Shepherd they would be attacked and scattered like sheep by a wolf. There wasn’t just a warning though, we also find a promise and hope . Jesus calls Himself the gate and promised His listeners that if they entered through Him they would be saved. So you see, while the thief came to steal, kill, and destroy. The Good Shepherd came to give them the hope of abundant life, the hope of knowing and being known by Him. The hope that as the Good Shepherd He would one day lay down His life for them. 

What did Jesus mean by "abundant life'?  Gotquestions.org answers the question like this: "Abundant life is eternal life, a life that begins the moment we come to Christ and receive Him as Savior, and goes on throughout all eternity. The biblical definition of life — specifically eternal life — is provided by Jesus Himself: “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3). This definition makes no mention of length of days, health, prosperity, family, or occupation. As a matter of fact, the only thing it does mention is knowledge of God, which is the key to a truly abundant life. (For the full meaning of 'abundant life in Christ' visit https://www.gotquestions.org/abundant-life.html)
The Sheep

I’m sure you picked up on it by now – the sheep – they are us – the believers, those who have chosen to follow Christ. We must not miss what He says about us in this analogy. We know His voice … we don’t recognize or listen to the stranger’s voice … instead we run away from the stranger … the Good Shepherd calls us by name … He knows us and we know Him … we follow Him … we are safe … and He came to give us an abundant life. I believe when we seek to apply the Scriptures this sometimes calls for introspection, in this case asking ourselves does Christ’s description of the sheep sound like me? If not, why not and what can I do to align myself with His description?

The Prayer

Father, thank You for sending Jesus to be our door to You and for giving us such a Good Shepherd who loves us and protects us from the thieves and robbers. Jesus, thank You for being such a Good Shepherd, for loving Your sheep, for calling us by name, for spending time with us so we know Your voice. Thank You for teaching us and going before us, and for keeping us safe. Thank You for laying down Your life for us and for giving us an abundant life of joy and peace and hope of our security for eternity. – In Your Name I pray – Amen!

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