A Shepherd’s Responsibility

How responsible do you feel for your ability to obey God’s commands? Do you feel it is all on you or does some of it rest on someone else? Is there a leader you look to for guidance? Are you willing to follow a leader who has your best interest at heart?

Even though there are some who want to blame everyone else for their shortcomings, most of us want to do better. We place a lot of responsibility on our own shoulders. We seek to learn. We strive to achieve goals. We may look to leaders for assistance but don’t put our success in their hands.

The key to ensuring we are doing the right things and following God’s commands as he wants us to, is to find a balance. We must take some responsibility on our own. Such as, reading God’s Word, attending worship services, participating in Bible studies, and seeking God’s guidance through prayer. We must have the desire to do the right thing.

Yet, there is some responsibility that lies with the leaders. The pastor or preacher or priest must properly interpret and preach a message that guides along the path God desires for us. The teacher who leads the Bible study must prepare properly to educate the students. All the while, each individual must come with a desire to learn.

God puts responsibility on the leaders or shepherds of a church to guide the members. That responsibility includes teaching, advising, and guiding them in the path God wants them to follow. However, the individual member must desire to follow the guidance of the leader. Therefore, it takes both the shepherd and the individual to make things work as God designed them.

I pray we all desire to learn God’s Word. I pray we seek to follow the path God has for us. I pray each leader will take their responsibility seriously and guide the members according to God’s plan. Learn God’s Word. Follow the path God has for you. Leaders, guide according to God’s plan.

Jeremiah 23:1 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” says Yahweh.

Relating to One Another

How are your relationships? Have you ever “hit it off” with someone you met for the first time? Did you continue to be friends? How do you continue to foster good relationships? Are you willing to listen to others? Or do you prefer to speak?

Relationships rely on many things to continue to flourish. It is not just interaction but a healthy give and take. We need to listen to others at times and they need to listen to us at times. There needs to be mutual care for one another.

Jesus starts the interaction with the woman at the well, but He goes beyond that. He shows her that He cares about her. He shows that He cares about her physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. He knows that she is only there at midday because of her shame. He knows it is hotter during that time of day for her to haul water.

The woman reciprocates with amazement. She is amazed, first, that a man even takes time to speak with her, then that Jesus shows care for her. She listens to Him. Not merely hearing His words but understanding what He is saying. She comes to the conclusion that Jesus is the Messiah, not only because He told her, but because He shows her by how attentive He is to her.

A relationship is built between Jesus and the woman at the well within a few minutes. We can build relationships quickly as well. To do so, we must demonstrate we care about the other person by listening to them and understanding what they are saying.

I pray we all choose to build relationships. I pray we listen to one another. I pray each one of us will show we care for one another as we speak, listen, and care for one another on a daily basis. Build relationships. Listen to one another. Care for one another. Build one another up.

John 4:25-26 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who is speaking to you.”

Confidence in God

Do you like to be prepared? Do you think through every possible response or argument someone can bring against a statement or proposal you may make? Do you fear opposition? Do you have confidence in your ability to refute opposition? Where does your confidence come from?

Being prepared can be very good. It is especially good when we are participating in a sporting event, playing in a band, and when making business propositions. Doing our homework is important. We often carry this mentality into witnessing for Jesus.

Though there is nothing wrong with preparation and we should study the Bible to be confident in his instruction, we should not worry about what we will say when someone opposes us. It may seem unconventional or counter cultural, but when we remain calm and depend on God to provide us the answers, he will do so.

Jesus had just spoken about all that will happen prior to His return. He warned the people ahead of time, including that many will be brought before various authority figures to testify. He states that they are not to worry about it or even to make their minds about what they would say. Instead, He says that they will be given what to say.

We, too, can be confident that we will be given what to say. We must continually be in prayer that we are guided by the Holy Spirit in both actions and speech. When we believe we will be given what to say, we do not need to worry. It doesn’t mean we don’t study. Yet, we lean on the Holy Spirit to guide us.

I pray we all take time to study God’s Word. I pray we ask God to guide us in our discussions about him. I pray each one of us are confident the Holy Spirit will guide us as we need it. Study God’s Word. Ask God to guide you. Be confident in the Holy Spirit. Follow his guidance.

Luke 21:14-15 “So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance, for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict.”

Crumble or Eternity

Are you impressed by fancied buildings or homes? Do you like the shiny things of this world? Are you striving for silver and gold? What do you put your trust in? Does your life give away your desires? Are you heartbroken when a famous building is damaged?

There are many famous buildings all around the world. There are buildings, even in small towns, that people see as being grand. They were engineered to project wealth and were built with specific stones. Yet, each one of them will one day crumble and fall.

The people of Jerusalem were proud of the temple. They liked to brag about its magnificence. They talked about how beautiful it was with all the gold, precious stones, and choice wood. They thought it would never fall or be destroyed. However, Jesus told them it would one day fall. It would occur roughly thirty-five years later when the Romans destroyed it.

Just as the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, all the fancy buildings we are amazed by will one day crumble and fall. Though they may not fall in our lifetimes, they will eventually fall. It may sound depressing. Yet, what we have to look forward to is far better than any building on this earth. What God creates for eternity will never crumble nor fall. Its magnificence is beyond anything created by humans.

I pray we all look forward to the magnificence of eternity. I pray we know that God’s creation in eternity will never fall. I pray each one of us puts our faith in God rather than humans. Look forward to eternity. Know that God never fails. Put your faith in God. His promises are forever.

Luke 21:5-6 When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.”

Do What Is Right

We may wonder what the right thing to do is, at times. It is more difficult to determine what is right if we are making our determination based on a worldly perspective. The world will pull us in many different directions at different times. It will depend on who is popular, who we choose to listen to, and even our political culture.

            To truly choose what is right, we must listen to one voice, that is the Holy Spirit. Many people will wonder how to listen for the Holy Spirit. Well, it requires us to learn to listen to him, learn to be quiet, and spend time in prayer asking God to reveal his will through the Holy Spirit. Initially, it is no easy task. However, it grows easier as we learn and become accustomed to listening.

            The Apostle Paul both encourages and admonishes the church in Thessalonica to continue doing the right thing. In the verses leading up to the verse below, Paul speaks to being responsible, working, and not being busybodies. Keeping these things in mind, he encourages the church members to continue to do the right thing.

            We can take Paul’s words as instructional and encouraging to us as we seek to do the right thing. Much of the division we see all around us, whether in families, communities, or our country revolve around people being busybodies or spreading rumors. Rather than simply restating everything we hear, we would be better suited to verify it to be true first. Additionally, rather than taking everything as a personal attack, first determine if there is truth in what is stated and decide to make changes to our behavior when needed.

            Being responsible is not merely doing what we say we will do but taming our tongue. Sure, we should do the best we can at our work and taking care of our families. At the same time, we must be mindful of how we speak to one another, not only in words but in tone and body language. In simple terms, we should sift everything we do and say through the Holy Spirit and the guidance provided to us in God’s Word.

            We have a golden opportunity before us today. There are many people hurting or struggling or broken or grieving. We may be one of them. Yet, when we do the right thing and minister to others, we receive the blessing of being ministered to. God blesses us in our work. He blesses us when we bless others.

            The encouragement and admonishment of Paul was not only valid two-thousand years ago but is valid today. As we live our lives today, in the culture we live in today, we can be part of the healing we all need. We can participate with God, as we do the right thing, in accomplishing his will for all of us. We can show Jesus to those who need Him and bring them into a relationship with Him, saving them from eternal condemnation.

2 Thessalonians 3:13 Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.

Be Responsible

Who do you hang around? How would you classify them? Are they trustworthy? Are they industrious? Are they people who are earning their keep? Or are some of them lazy and seeking to feed off other people? Have you considered that you should change who you hang around?

We make friends and acquaintances from all walks of life. Yet not all of them are healthy for us to be with. If they are a bad influence on us, we need to choose not to be with them. It can be a challenging decision if we are friends with them. But it is for our own good.

The Apostle Paul warns the church in Thessalonica to distance themselves from brothers and sisters who are irresponsible. He isn’t speaking about blood relation but people who had decided to follow Jesus. Their irresponsibility included them not working for a living, being busybodies, and living in sinful ways. When Paul is talking about people who were not working, he is only talking about those who are able but choose not to.

Why would Paul give this warning? We have all probably heard the saying that one bad apple can ruin the whole bunch. If you have ever let apples sit in a basket, you know this is true. A bruised apple that begins to rot will transfer the rotting to the apple next to it. The process repeats itself until every apple in the basket is rotten. Paul is telling us not be around people who are rotten lest the rottenness be transferred to us.

Not only should we distance ourselves from irresponsible people, but we should be responsible ourselves. We also need to be prepared to answer irresponsible people, if they ask why we are no longer hanging out with them. We must be honest while encouraging them to change their ways, not because we expect them to do so but because God expects them to.

I pray we all choose to be responsible. I pray we distance ourselves from irresponsible people. I pray each one of us seeks self-improvement by continually seeking to be more like Jesus. Be responsible. Seek self-improvement. Strive to be like Jesus. Be full of love, grace, and mercy.

2 Thessalonians 3:6 Now we command you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from every brother or sister living irresponsibly and not according to the tradition that they received from us.

Strength and Salvation

Are you tired? Are you weary from listening to the blame game? Is it sapping your energy, causing you to feel as though you are carrying a hundred-pound pack on your back? Where do you turn to be renewed? Are you looking forward to a better future?

Responsibility can feel like a heavy load to carry. Yet, if we all were to take responsibility for our actions and behavior, thinking before we act or speak, we would lighten everyone’s load. Unfortunately, many have either never been taught or have chosen not to take responsibility.

Where can we turn? We can lean on God to strengthen us. When we feel as though we cannot go on, God will grant us the strength to continue. When we feel overwhelmed in a situation, God will be with us and make a way for us through it. We may hear these statements made and yet have not experienced it. We may wonder if we ever will. We will when we spend time with God, pouring our heart out and turning it over to him. It is easier to do this when we have built a good relationship with God before we experience a tough situation.

We not only can count on God to be with us, but he has already granted us salvation. That sounds churchy or religious, and it doesn’t bring everyone the comfort it should. Again, it means a lot more to us when we have a good relationship with God. We can look forward to his promise of eternity spent with him. Though that may seem like a very long time in the future, our perspective changes the closer our relationship with God is.

We all experience times when we feel like we are at the end of our rope. We feel like we are hanging on by a thread. I’ve been there myself. And just like I cried out to God in that moment, you can, too. Here’s the wonderful thing about those times—God answers and provides us the strength we need. Not only does he provide a way through it, but he reminds us he has promised us something far better.

I pray we all grow closer to God. I pray we turn to him for strength in difficult situations. I pray each one of us trust in God’s promises to never leave us and an eternity spent with him. Seek to be closer to God. Lean on God for the strength you need. Trust God’s promises. Know he will never leave you.

Isaiah 12:2

Surely God is my salvation; 

I will trust and will not be afraid, 

for the Lord is my strength and my might; 

he has become my salvation.

God’s Eternal Plan

What will eternity look like? When will it come to pass? How long have people been looking forward to it? Those are all good questions. Yet, the first question can only be answered in part. The second cannot be answered at all. For the third, we can provide a better answer.

Through Isaiah the prophet, God tells the Israelites he is creating new heavens and a new earth. The people look forward to this new creation of God, which will be an eternal home. Isaiah prophesied between 700 – 740 BCE, or before Jesus was born to Mary.

This means people have been looking forward to eternity for more than 2,700 years. Is this important? If so, why? In my humble opinion, it is important. It helps give us perspective. God has his plan, which has been in place for thousands of years. He is executing his plan in his time. We cannot rush it, nor can we know the timeline of it. We can put it in perspective as we look at God’s prophecy and his work throughout history.

Once we grasp the fact that God has had his plan in place for thousands of years and he is following his plan, we can stop worrying about when Jesus will return. Instead, we can live each day for God’s glory, following his guidance, and be confident his plan will come to fruition. In effect, it helps us do as Jesus told us, “do not worry about tomorrow” (Matthew 6:34). By putting our confidence in God and his plan, our mental, physical, and spiritual lives become healthier.

I pray we all trust in God’s plan. I pray we trust that God is executing his plan in his time. I pray each one of us live each day to glorify God, follow his guidance, and be confident in God’s plan. Trust God’s plan. God is executing his plan. Live to glorify God. Follow God’s guidance.

Isaiah 65:17-18

For I am about to create new heavens 

and a new earth; 

the former things shall not be remembered 

or come to mind. 

But be glad and rejoice forever 

in what I am creating, 

for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy 

and its people as a delight.

Follow God’s Command to Go

Do you like to be told what to do? Do you obey commands from others? Are you willing to follow a good leader? If you are unwilling to follow human leaders and their commands, how can you follow God and his commands?

Following is not always easy. It is harder today than it has ever been. The average person is more educated than at any time in history. There is skepticism of many leaders due to the evidence accumulated on previous leaders of leading people astray.

However, not all of us can be a leader. We are not all called to be leaders. In fact, when there are multiple people vying to be leaders, the organization is divided or fractured. We must all be willing to follow our appointed leader, though not blinded, but with an attitude of submission and a desire to assist.

Saul is humbled by Jesus in his blindness. He had been unwilling to see God at work and follow Jesus. Ananias is hesitant to follow God’s command. He has heard of the terror Saul has reigned down on Jesus’s followers. However, God insists that Ananias go to Saul and be part of God’s healing of Saul’s blindness.

We, too, can be used by God in amazing ways. We must follow God’s call, even when it means getting outside our comfort zones. Remember, God will provide and protect so long as we are obedient.

I pray we all choose to follow God’s command. I pray we open our ears and hearts to hear God calling us. I pray each one of us will be an instrument of God’s work in this world, fulfilling his plan. Follow God’s command. Open your ears. Open your hearts. Be available to God. Be his instrument of work.

Acts 9:11a, 15 The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul.”… But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel;”

Peek Into Eternity

Do you look forward to forever? What do you think forever will be? Do you think of it as floating on clouds? Do you envision streets of gold? Do you view yourself living in a crystal palace? Do you think you will be playing a harp and singing for eternity?

There are many assumptions of what eternity will be like. All of those listed above have been purported at one time or another. Yet, none of us know for sure what that eternal life will be like. All we know is that God has said there will be a new earth, new heaven, and new Jerusalem.

Jesus gives us another clue to ponder. He states that, though we marry now, we will not marry in eternity. He continues by saying that we will not die because we will be like angels. He calls us children of God and children of the resurrection. Once we are resurrected, we will never die again. That may sound ominous to us, but it is not. If we will never die, we evidently will not age.

But what is our opinion on never marrying again? We might think we will be lonely. We might think we will get bored. I suspect that God has a plan that does not include being lonely nor boredom. It will be perfect. It will be wonderful. It will be beyond our imagination. Though we do not know everything that eternity holds for us, we know that God has something so amazing instore for us, we will be overjoyed.

I pray we all know our expectations for eternity will be exceeded. I pray we look forward to spending eternity with God. I pray each one of us realize we will be amazed in a perfect eternal life. Trust God’s plan for eternity. Look forward to eternity. Know eternity will be beyond belief.

Luke 20:34-36 Jesus said to them, “Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. Indeed, they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection.”