How many Christians can say that we know God’s voice? We don’t necessarily hear an audible voice but we ought to recognize the Holy Spirit speaking to us in our hearts (inner being).
Jesus said in 10:4 “…his sheep follow him because they know his voice”). Contrast this with v.12-13
“The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.”(John 10:12-13, NIV)
In today’s world, who might be represented by the hired hand? There are lots of other voices in this world telling us what we ought to believe and how we should think. But they don’t really care about us.
Jesus is like the true shepherd because he owns us. We belong to Jesus and we ought to know his voice. “Hired hands” might claim they speak on behalf of God but they do not truly care about us. They may speak some truths and say things we may agree with. But their hearts are not for us as God’s heart is for his own children. We follow Jesus, our Father and our guide (Spirit).
“Lord, thank you for being my father. I belong to you; and I follow no other. I may hear the voices of this world, but these voices are not your voice. Give me discernment so that I may recognize your voice and not be confused with the voices of the world. Amen.”
The sheep of Jesus recognize HIS voice….
The message of The 11 (“The narrow gate”)
“The eleven disciples went to Galilee”
“Where Jesus had told them to go”
They heard His voice and obeyed His will
Despite uncertainty down below
Jesus spoke to them at length
He wasn’t really a Tweeter
Only 3 of them wrote Scripture
Matthew John and Peter
“Feed my sheep” said Jesus, for though
“Heaven and earth will pass away”
I have the words of eternal life and
“My words will never pass away”
“Enter through the narrow gate”
The voice of Jesus through the eleven
Believe in Jesus “through their message”
And “eat from the tree of life” in heaven
Jesus commissioned the eleven
With “everything I have commanded you”
“Teaching THEM to obey” Jesus
And “THEM” means me and you !
“The command given by our Lord and Savior”
Is not a Pharisee speaking alone
It came rather “through your apostles”
Matthew Peter and John
If a Pharisee boasts proudly
Those men added nothing to my message
He doesn’t speak for Jesus
His words are nothing more than garbage
Bibliography
All “quotes” in “quotation marks” are from the writings of the Apostles Matthew John and Peter in the Bible, mostly the “Red Letter” words of Jesus. [Matthew, John, Revelation, 2 Peter – NIV]
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