The Good Shepherd

John 10:4 - 10 
When He has brought out all His own, He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice.  But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice....  I tell you the Truth, I am the gate for the sheep.  All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.  I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.  He will come in and go out, and find pasture.  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

We are so privileged to be tended to and looked after by so good, kind and loving a Shepherd as Jesus.  He truly is more beautiful than we could ever conceive.  I once read a testimony of someone who encountered the very Person of Jesus and their description was that if everyone had to encounter Jesus in this way they would automatically surrender their lives to Him, because He is simply irresistible.

And like most passages in the Gospel of John, this one quoted above paints another stunningly glorious portrait of Jesus our Saviour and Shepherd.  A King and close friend who wants to lead His people into abundant pasture, saves His people from the thief, and give abundant life to them.

I wanted to encourage and remind you this week that this is Jesus' objective:  to impart Life to you.  But while reading the context of the famous verse 10, a couple of other things jumped out at me...

1.  Jesus walks ahead of His people, and His sheep follow Him because they want to

I am sure most of you have heard the comparison between a traditional Hebrew shepherd and shepherds of other cultures.  Hebrew shepherds walk ahead of their sheep while other cultures walk behind their flocks with a stick making sure they are all in line.  Jesus compares Himself to the former.  He is a shepherd who is secure, and He wants people following Him who are hungry for more.  If you want more of Jesus, His Word and His Presence, He is not going to force you.

But this means that we need to get to a place where we are so consumed by the beauty of who He is, we wouldn't be found anywhere else but in His Presence.  This is more than just "saying a prayer to be saved from hell".  This is a recognition that Jesus is the only True Source of Life, and to experience that True Life; His Presence is the best place to be!

Jesus wants us to recognise that for ourselves, from experience.

Jesus is secure.  He doesn't want people "following Him" out of duty, He wants people following Him because there's nothing else in this life that satisfies like His Love.

2.  Jesus ensures His people find pasture

Jesus wants His people to be looked after and cared for...  well.  Psalm 37:25 says the righteous will never be forsaken or will their seed ever beg for bread.  You are righteous!  That means you will never be forsaken, and even your children's children will be blessed.

Jesus wants to lead you into pastures of abundance.  Abundant, luscious green pastures meant that the sheep could feed till their heart's content, and thus they were healthy and strong.  Jesus wants you healthy and strong!  He wants you to be in a place of abundance where all your worries are cared for by Him.  After all, He is the one who will find those green pastures for you!

3.  Jesus draws a clear distinction between what comes from the devil and what comes from Him

Anything that goes into the box of "Stolen, killed and destroyed" was put there by the devil.  Not Jesus.  Anything that goes into the box of "Full and Abundant Life" was put there by Jesus.

This is one of the most important verses in the Bible for our understanding of the character of God and the origin and place of evil in our world.  Jesus doesn't will for evil to take place; but there is one who does, and his name is satan.  I have heard it said that this verse is not referring to satan but to greedy men.  That is untrue, because "men (and women)" in this verse are compared to sheep, and therefore the shepherds and hired hands are spiritual authorities.  Jesus being the Good Spiritual Authority, satan being the evil one.  It's quite simple.

My friend, Jesus wants to give you abundant life.  A life filled with health, wholeness, provision, fun and joy!  This should be the experience of the Christian!  The child of God.

Don't lose touch of His Voice.  It is sweet and always Loving.  Pursue Him, and follow His leading with reckless abandon.  There is nothing more satisfying in the Universe!  Your soul will not be disappointed.  Neither will you.

Jesus is our most Glorious Lover and Friend.  The more we see Him, the more we are transformed forever.

The Glory of Provision

Exodus 16:10
While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the Glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud.

Most of us know the story of the Glory of the Lord appearing to the Israelites in a cloud in the desert, even if it is vaguely.  Many of us would remember that the Lord led the Israelites by a cloud by day and by a pillar of Fire by night (Exodus 13:21).  But in this context of Exodus 16 the Lord's Glory appears in a specific context.  It is the context of provision.

The Israelites were grumbling against the Lord that they were going to starve to death.  And God, in His Grace, Mercy, Compassion and Goodness, simply offered a solution to their complaints (not prayers).  He said that He would provide Bread from Heaven in the morning, and quail meat in the evening.  It was when He made this announcement to the Israelites through Aaron that His Glory appeared out in the desert in a cloud.

Now, Exodus 13 tells us that the cloud of the Glory stayed in front of the Israelites every single day and never left their sight.  And in this verse (Exodus 16:10) we see it "appear" again.  I don't believe it disappeared.  I believe the cloud appeared in a different position to where it was.  You see, the Glory Cloud was always in front of the Israelites, but in this instance, It appears out in the desert.  And God was about to provide life-giving food to the Israelites which would manifest in the desert.  So it would seem that as He was announcing this form of provision to His people, He was also showing them it was His Manifest Presence that was going to produce this life-giving food.

Friends, do you know that this incident was a picture pointing to Jesus!?  Have a look at what Jesus tells His followers in John 6...

Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34“Sir,” they said, “from now on give us this bread.”

35Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

Once we have Jesus, there is nothing else we need.  He meets our every desire, from the inside out.  He starts with the biggest desire of all; the deep longing within each man for Love, identity, acceptance and purpose.  And then He begins to provide for everything else.  He promises to take care of us!  (Matthew 6:33)

Do you know that you hold the very Presence of God Himself within you?  You are the Holy tabernacle where God's Presence dwells (1 Cor. 6:19 and Colossians 1:27)!  My friend, the very same Presence of God that provided for the Israelites in the desert when they had nothing now dwells within you!  What an incredible truth!

I want you to believe this Glorious truth, and release it into your atmosphere around you.  Speak Life into each and every situation around you, and don't stop!  Release what is in you.  Release the supernatural provision of God into every situation around you.  Declare it as a Righteous, Royal Prince or Princess of the King.  Declare with authority!

You may say "but James I have!  I have declared so much and nothing is happening."  Well, I don't buy that.  Just stop and look around you.  How much can you be thankful for?  God knows what you need before you ask it.  When we focus on what He has provided for us and not on what He hasn't, it builds faith and thankfulness in our hearts and inspires to continue declaring with joyful authority!

Now, I have based this week's devotional on the Glory Cloud because I watched a video this week of a Glory Cloud manifesting at a meeting in Bethel Church in Redding, California.  As I watched I was deeply inspired by God's promise of His Presence and His Provision.  Because where His Presence is, there too is His Provision.

Just watch this video by clicking on the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VqbVH6SNP4

You will notice the cloud appears above the right-hand corner of the room like a small mist.  Most notably between 1 minute and 1:45.  You will also notice how the cloud shimmers with golden and silver sparkles.  Incredibly, a number of people standing in that very corner received Gold teeth supernaturally!

I watched this video and I felt so strongly God saying that we can see the same miracles that the Israelites saw and even more!  We have the very Presence of God dwelling within us.  The more we believe this Truth the more we will act on it, and the more we will see its effects in our lives.  Just like this group of people who believed this Truth came together and saw a manifestation of God's Presence in the atmosphere where they were worshipping!  I am pretty sure they will have faith that God will provide for all their needs in their daily lives as well!