How the Shepherd Keeps his Sheep

[rob64]

I'm not seeing the difference here, can you enlarge?

Uhhmmm...What dont you understand?

 

[KleinerApfel]

Uhhmmm...What dont you understand?

This.....

And, the prodigal was a LOST son, totally different from a sheep that wanders off.

I'm not seeing the difference here, can you enlarge?

I thought you were asserting that there is a significant difference between a lost/wandering/errant sheep and a lost/wandering/errant son, and implying that this difference is important to this discussion in regard to how God/Father/Shepherd brings them home.

I'm asking, what is the difference you see between these two?

 

[Tamara224]

What does the Word say?

Hebrews 12:5-8
5And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:
"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."
7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.

 

[Cassidy]

I thought the 'rod' was just the 'rod of correction' - I would say that the scriptures would be this 'rod' which he can sometimes use to correct and chastise us.

 

[ANM29]

Oh boy, here we go again..............

Because God is soverign, he can allow the works of the enemy and even use some of his own BREAKING to SAVE THE SOUL..he will allow destruction of the FLESH to save the SOUL in 'some' cases for some people and he knows who will have to have a harder blow to wake them up.

The problem is our perception of God. We forget that God MOTIVE is LOVE in ALL he ALLOWS..So, if he has to break the leg of a sheep to keep them from being LOST, that is what he will allow or even do himself.

Get to know God and his MOTIVES, and that should clear up this misconception that he does not do anything that we would consider 'hurtful or painful' to US...If it will SAVE US, he knows what to use for each of us, HE WILL DO IT AND HE WILL PERMIT IT IN OUR LIVES.

This is in the natural as well as the SPIRITUAL...LOST IN SPIRITUAL SENSE!

AMEN!

 

[ANM29]

What is a broken leg or arm compared to keeping a sheep from being lost and wandering off a Cliff that will untimately destroy his life? What is a broken leg compared to your SOUL, It is nothing...Your SOUL is what God is concerned about, not a uncomfortable situation for a season. Your GROWTH is what he is concerned about, and we are going to grow up one way or another...If he has to discipline us, HE WILL...eventually, we will get it.

Grow up into more mature things of God..

 

[Cassidy]

I'll never forget something that Oprah said once - yeh ok I know it's 'Oprah' but I really thought this was really cool what she said....

She said sometimes when God wants our attention he may whisper in our ear, if we don't listen then he may talk louder. If we still don't listen, he'll yell. Then he might try throwing a pebble at us...then a stone...then a boulder!! Till we get it!

I thought it was funny but so right too. I reckon I've had a few boulders thrown at my head a few time! And I'm like "Hey! ouch!" And God's like "Well you weren't listening!!!" LOL

 

[ANM29]

I'll never forget something that Oprah said once - yeh ok I know it's 'Oprah' but I really thought this was really cool what she said....

She said sometimes when God wants our attention he may whisper in our ear, if we don't listen then he may talk louder. If we still don't listen, he'll yell. Then he might try throwing a pebble at us...then a stone...then a boulder!! Till we get it!

I thought it was funny but so right too. I reckon I've had a few boulders thrown at my head a few time! And I'm like "Hey! ouch!" And God's like "Well you weren't listening!!!" LOL

Yep..God will use WHATEVER he wants if he so see fits that it will bring you to the place you need to be. This is because of his love...His lovingkindess is what first draws us, after a period of time he uses discipline when he knows that you have reached a place of MATURITY, or he is pushing you into MATURITY.

I'm tired of these whining Christians talking about God does not allow anything that does not appeal to their flesh and makes them feel good. These are babes who have yet to grow and understand a LOVING FATHER motivation in ALL things is LOVE for us whether we understand it or not.

So, keep thinking God wants ONLY YOUR COMFORT AT ALL TIMES. hahaha...He has nothing else to use except things that are not comfortable to shape and mold us. You can't GROW on MOUNTAIN TOPS, they come after you take a walk through the valley..

 

[KleinerApfel]

I thought the 'rod' was just the 'rod of correction' - I would say that the scriptures would be this 'rod' which he can sometimes use to correct and chastise us.

What is a broken leg or arm compared to keeping a sheep from being lost and wandering off a Cliff that will untimately destroy his life? What is a broken leg compared to your SOUL, It is nothing...Your SOUL is what God is concerned about, not a uncomfortable situation for a season. Your GROWTH is what he is concerned about, and we are going to grow up one way or another...If he has to discipline us, HE WILL...eventually, we will get it.

I don't see Jesus doing that kind of violenmce to anyone at any time, even though He met some pretty difficult characters - whether God haters or believing but rebelious or religiously bigotted - in their cases He used His words to chatsise them.
Nobody got crippled by the One in whom all the fullness of God dwelt.

The Good Shepherd has no need to cripple a sheep to stop it running off a cliff - that's what his voice does - the love the sheep has for His voice calls her back from the edge every time, and if she should now and then ignore Him and go her own way, there's always the crook! A long stick with a useful hook to grab her quick!

I'm glad I have the Good Shepherd over my life, and not some scary old brutish one who beats his sheep. :o

 

[ANM29]

I don't see Jesus doing that kind of violenmce to anyone at any time, even though He met some pretty difficult characters - whether God haters or believing but rebelious or religiously bigotted - in their cases He used His words to chatsise them.
Nobody got crippled by the One in whom all the fullness of God dwelt.

The Good Shepherd has no need to cripple a sheep to stop it running off a cliff - that's what his voice does - the love the sheep has for His voice calls her back from the edge every time, and if she should now and then ignore Him and go her own way, there's always the crook! A long stick with a useful hook to grab her quick!

I'm glad I have the Good Shepherd over my life, and not some scary old brutish one who beats his sheep. :o

I am glad to have a Shepard to uses his staff to PULL me back in if and when I am going astray. Yes, I totally agree with that. THEN, there is another side of God I guess you don't understand when he DISCIPLINES those he loves..and if it takes a leg being broke, so what?....lol!....Now, you can take that as a literally leg breaking or not..it could be a literally leg breaking.

So, there is more than just ONE way to see and understand the Shepard...The motivation is love either way and protection..

I don't see anything VIOLENT about anything I said..Again, it is surely perspective...

 

[ANM29]

BTW, the PULL alone from the staff can be uncomfortable, it depends..

 

[KleinerApfel]

BTW, the PULL alone from the staff can be uncomfortable, it depends..

Amen! LOL!

 

[ANM29]

If it don't feel GOOD to the Flesh, it is not God..Because the Good Shepard really does not allow us to maybe even walk through the/a valley of the shadow of death.

True or False?

 

[ANM29]

I am afraid for Christians in the West. If real persecution was here in this country, the majority would not be able to stand. They don't believe the Lord would allow anything like that to happen to 'them'. This western apostate christianity is sad. If it ain't feel good and money, it ain't God. Not just the west either,.......God help us all. There is coming a day when you will have to live by Faith alone and can we stand?

So many are thinking that somehow God is going to snatch them out of tribulation on earth because he is not able to KEEP THEM while they are in it. There is a serious revelation coming at some point.

Instead of teaching Christians how to become OVERCOMERS, the church is teaching them how to FEAR and ESCAPISM and that God is unable to keep them in the midst of trouble. I now understand while there is a 'remnant' that will be kept and these are the people who will have been through hell and are able to stand when real hell breaks losej... though all the monsters and scorpions are not coming to earth as some have preached...besides, this is a ways off anyway.......lol!...

Oh Lord, help us all Father, Help us to GROW UP IN YOU JESUS!!!!!!! DO WHATEVER TO MAKE US SEE YOU!!!!. OPEN OUR BLINDED EYES IN JESUS NAME I PRAY!!!!!!!!

 

[Deba]

The LORD has disciplined me severely, But He has not given me over to death.

 

[rob64]

This.....
I thought you were asserting that there is a significant difference between a lost/wandering/errant sheep and a lost/wandering/errant son, and implying that this difference is important to this discussion in regard to how God/Father/Shepherd brings them home.

I'm asking, what is the difference you see between these two?

Oh, right, I'm sorry
The prodigal was a lost individual. Lost only means one thing.

The sheep however, is a sheep. He is in the 'fold'. He knows the shepherd's voice. He's in the 'flock' of the shepherd. In a shepherd's world, there are sheep and there are goats. And there are those who would try to 'steal' the sheep, or "pluck them from his hand".

So the contrast is; on one hand, the son is a lost soul whereas the sheep isn't.
And, you are adding to my words, The sheep isn't lost/wandering/errant.
The Bible DOES NOT SAY, "We all like sheep have lost/wandering/errant"
"Gone astray" is something different from being lost.

 

[rob64]

I don't see Jesus doing that kind of violenmce to anyone at any time, even though He met some pretty difficult characters - whether God haters or believing but rebelious or religiously bigotted - in their cases He used His words to chatsise them.
Nobody got crippled by the One in whom all the fullness of God dwelt.

The Good Shepherd has no need to cripple a sheep to stop it running off a cliff - that's what his voice does - the love the sheep has for His voice calls her back from the edge every time, and if she should now and then ignore Him and go her own way, there's always the crook! A long stick with a useful hook to grab her quick!

I'm glad I have the Good Shepherd over my life, and not some scary old brutish one who beats his sheep. :o

If that were the case, why would He leave the 99 and go after the one?
If it is a BABY sheep that doesn't know His voice yet, He has a staff with a hook on the end to retrieve the lamb. His voice doesn't always work. Plus, there are the ones who are stubborn, who ignore His voice.

 

[rob64]

Yep..God will use WHATEVER he wants if he so see fits that it will bring you to the place you need to be. This is because of his love...His lovingkindess is what first draws us, after a period of time he uses discipline when he knows that you have reached a place of MATURITY, or he is pushing you into MATURITY.

I'm tired of these whining Christians talking about God does not allow anything that does not appeal to their flesh and makes them feel good. These are babes who have yet to grow and understand a LOVING FATHER motivation in ALL things is LOVE for us whether we understand it or not.

So, keep thinking God wants ONLY YOUR COMFORT AT ALL TIMES. hahaha...He has nothing else to use except things that are not comfortable to shape and mold us. You can't GROW on MOUNTAIN TOPS, they come after you take a walk through the valley..

 

[rob64]

I thought the 'rod' was just the 'rod of correction' - I would say that the scriptures would be this 'rod' which he can sometimes use to correct and chastise us.

"...ENDURE HARDSHIP AS CORRECTION..."

It's plain and simple what our correction really is.

SCRIPTURE IS NOT A PUNISHMENT

 

[rob64]

For those believing God chastises them for their sins - please remember the cross...

Is Hebrews 12:6 not in your Bible?