THE FLOCKS AND THE SHEPHERD
It’s obvious to know that some Christian had missed their place in the body of Christ. Some are actually called by God to the pulpit but doesn’t know enough the details of their assignment. Some thought they are doing it right, in fact some pastors, prophets, apostles and even some fathers in the faith sees themselves as little god over the people they are sent to. Also some Christians see their pastor as all knowing and all-encompassing pastor over them. So many Christians has more regard for men used by God than even God himself. Some believed their prophet than the Bible yet the place of the shepherd to the flock is highly important and cannot be done away with. So for us to know how to relate with our leaders and for the leaders to the followers; this edition of Voices From Zion is written titled: THE FLOCK AND THE SHEPHERD 1 Peter 5:3 Neither as being Lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
Who Are The Flocks:, The following scriptures throws brighter light: 1 Peter 5:2 says Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; In John 10:11 Jesus says I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
The flock simply refers to those that are been shepherded by Christ his servants. It’s interesting to know that all Christians regardless of their gift, calling and position in the kingdom are Jesus Christ’s sheep. Hear this! Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; * Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; *And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s. 1st Corinthians 3:21-23
THE SHEPHERD:
Though the Lord Jesus is our shepherd yet some had been place among us to lead, to show, to teach and to guide us. In fact there came a time that Israel doesn’t have a guide and a teaching priest, they suffered great calamity because the place of human shepherd used by God is important. Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law. *But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them. *And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries. *And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity. II Chronicle 15:3-6
Life became threatening for them because they are without God’s sent teachers. Misdirection comes to play without a shepherd. Jesus the great shepherd, shepherded us through some anointed ones sent to us, that is the reason that any Christian who is not under a particular pastor (grace) he or she will be opened to life struggles, without any covering. God sets shepherd over us to lead us aright and to guide us into God’s promises for our life. In Jeremiah 3:15 he said And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. Which means not all pastors can be your pastor and if you are found under a shepherd that is not sent to you, you won’t prosper.
The parent that gave birth to you may not be the kind you want, your native land may be detestable to you but just as you are not opportune to choose any of them, neither are you opportune to choose your shepherd, God will send them your way. Jesus said to Peter …Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. Matthew 4:19. Elijah the prophet found Elisha I King 19:19-21So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. *And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee? *And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.
The first day you meet your Prophet or shepherd, you will know because some burdens will leave you. You might be guided to them but the basic scriptural standard is the shepherd finding you, God sent Pastors, Jesus finds Peter. Elijah found Elisha. The benefits of submitting under the God sent to us is numerous, firstly you have to accept them the way they are whether of slow tongue like Moses, or terrible as Elijah, or as dedicated as Isaiah or even as discreet as Paul the Apostle. May be you found yourself under a man of God whose anointing and Grace God is using to help you, which he’s not as eloquent and educated as expected; it doesn’t matter ;stay there, what really matter, is the grace.
Some young folk are helped through elementary and tertiary school by the grace of God upon their pastor but left the shepherd when they arrive like Uzziah and become vulnerable to life circumstances despite their prayers and running to several men and places. II Chronicle 26:1-5, 16, 21. The rise of Uzziah one of the Kings in Judah, Uzziah…did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah did. *And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper. *But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense. * And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the Lord: and Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.
What a pathetic story. He rose by grace on Zechariah and fell off by transgressing. You need humility to stay tied to your shepherd. More so, a shepherd can be replaced by God himself, either when he dies, or miss it with God. Some had missed it in life and ministry by following the successor of a pastor or prophet sent to them, if your prophet dies you need to seek the face of God to know the next step to take, but much more it is good to know that whatever you’re doing in the ministry of your prophet when he was alive should be continued even when he sleeps. When God killed Eli, Samuel replaced him. When God took Elijah away, the power came on Elisha, you need to talk to God about it because different people different anointing and at times different people yet same anointing and grace in diverse dimension. Jesus cares.
THE PLACE OF THE SHEPHERD TO THE FLOCK:
It’s good to take this route from Jesus because he is our most perfect example. There was a church reported by eye witness some years ago, where everyone that passes through the General Overseer a woman must kneel down and bow themselves to the ground before her, if they coincidentally meet her on the way they must bow down and keep quiet as if she is a ghost. Being anointed or carrying divine grace does not automatically delete your humanity. No matter how divinised you become, you are still human and subjected to law of gravity and other laws. Jesus is our most perfect example of a good shepherd. Jesus said …And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: *Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. In John 10:14-18 Jesus said I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. *As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. *And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd… Jesus wasn’t terrified by his followers. If he had accorded himself with so many self made respect, even the woman with the issue of blood won’t have gained access to touch the helm of his garment. Matthew 9:20-22. Every shepherd should be loving, very caring and accommodate the strong and the growing. Yet the first apostle Peter that took direct baton from Jesus, the first of his kind said Neither as being Lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 1 Peter 5:3
The sheep, all Christian are God’s heritage not the prophet’s. Shepherds are to lead majorly by example not by force or knowledge of this world, not submitting the truth under the false of science, and rudiments of this world.
The shepherd and the flock or the flock and the shepherd relationship should honourably be a father to son kind of relationship in absolute submission. More so if you noticed that you have being wrongly shepherded, and the grace under which you had truthfully and faithfully submitted to, is not speaking for you. This is the high time for you to make a complete U-turn. The Lord God Almighty will guide you in Jesus name.
Voices From Zion Written Under God’s Dictate and Published by
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