Can God Find Your Lost Soul?

You feel like you have wandered from God and have gone too far.  You feel like you cannot find your way to or come back, but you can take comfort that God may be searching for you.

"For this is what the sovereign Lord says; I myself will search for my sheep and look after them." Ezekiel 34:11.

FOR THIS IS WHAT
This verse starts with an affirmation, a concrete statement.   It is one you should pay attention to because if God says it you can count on it.

THE SOVEREIGN LORD
Here God uses a double title: Sovereign and Lord.  God is sovereign in that He is the king of all and final authority, in all things, there is no higher person or office.   He is Lord as the one who has ultimate command and is the absolute ruler.

I MYSELF
It is God alone who searches for you- who better?  God does not need another to find his sheep, and God is not willing for another to look for his sheep.  Salvation is from God and even though we have the gospel, and the church is charged with spreading the gospel, it is God who finds His sheep.   He may use the church or others to accomplish His will in finding them but salvation comes from God alone.

SEARCH
To search is looking with dedication, and to look intently without giving up.  It is not a quick scan but it is the diligent looking where you overlook nothing and investigate every place.  It takes time and effort.

God is not searching because he doesn't know where you are; He is searching as in using all avenues and resources to bring you to Him.

MY SHEEP
The word, my, is a word of ownership. This verse was written for God's people, Israel, in ages past but the reference speaks to anyone who responds to the Lord's call today.   God calls those who come to him, "mine."

LOOK AFTER THEM
Sheep are very needy and no other creature is as dependent on human care as sheep are.  A shepherd cares diligently watching and protecting the sheep morning and night.  In the same way, God longs to care for his sheep.

Like the shepherd who looks for his sheep over the hills and valleys God has looked from far away and has seen us and our need.  He sees that we are struggling with weakness, pain, and sin.  Out of love, He sent his son to take our sins on himself and bear their punishment,  His death as our substitute satisfied the judgment of God and his resurrection proves that he has power to give us abundant life here and eternal life.

We must not be the sheep who run from the shepherd.  God calls us to him but we must come.

If you want to learn more about coming to God see my other blog about salvation.

(c)Adron Dozat 5/23/15

How Does a Believer Show They Love Jesus?

We know we should love God but how? It is not like you can give him a hug. But Jesus said there is a way.

"The third time he said to him."Simon son of John do you love me?" Peter was hurt because he asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" he said, "Lord you know all things; you know I love you." Jesus said. "Feed my sheep." John 21:17

SIMON

Simon also called Peter denied Jesus three times on the night Christ was crucified. Simon must have been full of self-doubt, that his position as leader was forfeit and unworthy of being a disciple of the Lord.

Then Jesus returns from the grave, having overcome the judgment of sin and victorious over death. Three times the question is put to Simon, "do you love me?"

DO YOU LOVE ME

He asks not because he is narcissistic but because he is worthy of Peter's love and our love; we are at our best when we love God and live out an expression of that love.

LORD...YOU KNOW...

Peter called him Lord here, and if Jesus was only a good teacher or rabbi, he would have had to correct Peter, but he instead accepts it as the correct title. As Lord, he knows Peter's heart. He knows all things, and he knows our hearts too.

FEED MY SHEEP

Jesus said to feed his sheep or lambs three times. It may have been because Peter denied him three times, or because the Bible is full of the threefold representation of God, or the progression in the questions the Lord asked Peter and his answers. Each time the duty was more demanding, they went from feeding lambs to leading the sheep to tend them. Christ covered all the duties, and Peter could not doubt the totality of the request.

To care for sheep is hard unending work full of heartbreak and frustration. If we love Jesus, we will love his sheep- all those people with problems who make foolish choices and come to us all the time with needs and problems. He loves them, and if we love him, we love those who are his too.

There are many ways we can do this.

     * Give them the encouragement of the Word of God.
     * Guide them where we can.
     * Protect them when it is possible to do so.
     * Give them what they need when we have it.
     * Find them when they stray.
     * Lift them up when they fall.

Do we love our Lord? The way we treat his people will show just how much.

(c) Adron Dozat 8/18/13

Does Jesus See My Needs?

We have needs that go on unfilled, needs like love, forgiveness, freedom from guilt and a need for hope.  Does Jesus know- does he care?

"When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." Matthew 9:36, NIV.

CROWDS
The first words tell it all. "When He saw the crowds..." He sees. He is looking in a way that is thoughtful of us. When Jesus saw the crowds he saw the individuals in an intimate, understanding and knowing way.

We may not have been there that day but we are all alike; we are hungry for something in our lives and want to find meaning, purpose, God, hope, and comfort for our souls. No matter how many we are he cares for each of us.

COMPASSION
Jesus lived a life that was full of emotion. He felt compassion for the crowds. The religious leaders of his day had no feeling for the crowds, they sought their own benefit. Jesus cares for each one in the crowd. He sees our need and sets it ahead of his own.

HARASSED
We are harassed today by guilt and sin. We are victims of people who should love us or who are malicious. Our world promises peace and prosperity and we chase the dream of happiness but are disappointed. We look for hope and chase after one promise of happiness to the next.  We are harassed by our own longings and desires. We cannot escape our sins or purge our guilt.

SHEPHERD
Jesus is the shepherd who has compassion on us. He knows our need and he acts. Compassion is not just feeling it is a feeling that leads to action. Jesus is the shepherd who gave his life for the sheep* and he arose from the tomb to be the one who gives victory and assurance of the permanence and power of his love for us.

Jesus came to meet our greatest need- the need for forgiveness from our sins and to be brought back to God. When we come to him we begin a new life in him; some of our needs are resolved and some others we must wait until he finishes working in us.

Feelings may lead us astray and though we may not feel it the facts are that Jesus meets all of our deepest needs.

To learn more about having a new life in Jesus follow this link: Click Here.

*John 10:11

(c)Adron Dozat

What Does It Mean To Be God's People?

What does it mean that we are God's people? We know it is something good but just what is it?

"Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture." Psalm 100:3, NIV*.

This Bible verse starts with the declaration that The Lord is God; as a reminder that everything begins with him, not us. Our identity is not in what we own or have achieved or who we are but our true identity is in who our God is.

WE HAVE A CREATOR

God created us on purpose. What we are, what we look like, our talents, and gifts were given by God. We might say, "I wish I wasn't like this or that," but instead, we should be thankful.  If we have a weakness or a flaw, we know God has a purpose for it.  We are so often caught up in the outside looks, and all the external: but God is working on the internal.

WE BELONG

We are his. Because of this verse, you can say, "I know who and what I am. I do not need to go on some quest to find myself." Our lives become an expression of being found in Jesus.  We belong- this is better than a club, or family, society, gang, or any group.

WE HAVE PEOPLE
God did not make us to be alone.  We belong to a society, to a people who are his, we not only belong but we each have a purpose in God's plan to be a blessing to his people. God made us each with gifts to share with His people wherever they are. We each need to be a blessing to his people; we diminish ourselves and others when we draw away from the community of faith.

WE ARE CARED FOR

"We are the sheep of his pasture." Sheep are very dependent. Sheep lack fangs and claws, they are not built for speed, and "Baaa" is no "Roar!" Sheep live and thrive because the shepherd takes care of them; he protects, nurtures, and provides for them. Our God is the Good Shepherd- He cares for us and provides.

We each have a place; we are in his pasture. It is like we are doubly loved and cared for. Who can imagine what a wonderful pasture the Lord has for his sheep? We not only have a Creator, and an identity and a purpose we also have a place-His pasture. We have a place in the heart of God. You can say, "I am in his hands."

TO KNOW THE LORD
Knowing someone is to be involved in a relationship and no relationship ever plateaus, all relationships must grow or wither. To know the Lord means you must continue to grow in knowledge.

(c)Adron Dozat 12/23/12