Heavenly Father I praise You for blessing me when I don’t expect it and helping meet needs when I am desperate. I praise You for the people You have brought into my life who can still expound wisdom into my life like Bishop Emeritus Mr. Kendall or former EMFC Superintendents Dan Shinabarger and Brad Button. I praise You for retired and current pastors who continue to encourage and embolden me to continue to fight with prayer like Retired Pastor Beverly, Current Pastor Daryl Dexter, etc.….. I praise You for the few friends I have in life who have been faithful to stand by me when life has caused pain and death in multiple years.
Holy Spirit Matthew recorded and wrote for us to know that Jesus said, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. Before Him will be gathered all nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats. He will set the sheep at His right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the King will say to those at His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in. I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me.’” [Matthew 25:31-36, MEV]
Holy Spirit thank You for allowing me to grow up in a small rural village in Michigan where I learned all about farms and farm animals. I learned that the Cow, Pig and Chickens were at the top of the list for farmers to raise. I know that goats and sheep were not the favorites of very many farmers where I lived. Sheep are totally dependent on surviving by the shepherd and his dogs. They not only eat grass but pull it up from the roots. They can be sheered every so often for their coats to be used for clothing and they can feed some but are not overly huge. Sheep stay in large groups for protection and those who wonder die to wild animals very often. Goats are the opposite. They will eat whatever they want whether it is good for them or not. They are fiercely independent and will fight any and all animals if they feel threatened. They are prideful animals who can provide milk or meat, mow grass down but must be fenced in or they will go where they should not go.
Many of the followers of Jesus are compared to sheep, why, because they know so little, they trample and destroy good ground, and are completely at the mercy of the shepherd. Goats are often compared to sinners because they are prideful, stubborn and act as if they need no one.
Holy Spirit help me and those who pray with me to learn to be humble and know that without You our great shepherd here on the earth we will not make it to heaven because of our inability to learn, grow and be useful for the kingdom. Help us to avoid the example of the goat which the world thinks is the ideal for its pride and independence. Help us who pray to be more like the sheep dog who keeps up the protection for the group of sheep, with prayer, learning wisdom and be loyal.
Holy Spirit we need pastors who can be shepherds to protect, teach, lead, love on, anoint and care for Your sheep. We also need those who can stand up and be like the Shephard’s dog and be loyal, pray, support, also care for the sheep and create a hedge between the church and the wolves of pride and destruction.
I so desire to hear the words at the end of my life, “welcome, My good and faithful servant.” I will pray with all I have to continue to build, guide and protect the kingdom of God here on the earth until the time of judgment. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Heavenly Father I praise You for blessing me when I don’t expect it and helping meet needs when I am desperate. I praise You for the people You have brought into my life who can still expound wisdom into my life like Bishop Emeritus Mr. Kendall or former EMFC Superintendents Dan Shinabarger and Brad Button. I praise You for retired and current pastors who continue to encourage and embolden me to continue to fight with prayer like Retired Pastor Beverly, Current Pastor Daryl Dexter, etc.….. I praise You for the few friends I have in life who have been faithful to stand by me when life has caused pain and death in multiple years.
Holy Spirit Matthew recorded and wrote for us to know that Jesus said, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. Before Him will be gathered all nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats. He will set the sheep at His right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the King will say to those at His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in. I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me.’” [Matthew 25:31-36, MEV]
Holy Spirit thank You for allowing me to grow up in a small rural village in Michigan where I learned all about farms and farm animals. I learned that the Cow, Pig and Chickens were at the top of the list for farmers to raise. I know that goats and sheep were not the favorites of very many farmers where I lived. Sheep are totally dependent on surviving by the shepherd and his dogs. They not only eat grass but pull it up from the roots. They can be sheered every so often for their coats to be used for clothing and they can feed some but are not overly huge. Sheep stay in large groups for protection and those who wonder die to wild animals very often. Goats are the opposite. They will eat whatever they want whether it is good for them or not. They are fiercely independent and will fight any and all animals if they feel threatened. They are prideful animals who can provide milk or meat, mow grass down but must be fenced in or they will go where they should not go.
Many of the followers of Jesus are compared to sheep, why, because they know so little, they trample and destroy good ground, and are completely at the mercy of the shepherd. Goats are often compared to sinners because they are prideful, stubborn and act as if they need no one.
Holy Spirit help me and those who pray with me to learn to be humble and know that without You our great shepherd here on the earth we will not make it to heaven because of our inability to learn, grow and be useful for the kingdom. Help us to avoid the example of the goat which the world thinks is the ideal for its pride and independence. Help us who pray to be more like the sheep dog who keeps up the protection for the group of sheep, with prayer, learning wisdom and be loyal.
Holy Spirit we need pastors who can be shepherds to protect, teach, lead, love on, anoint and care for Your sheep. We also need those who can stand up and be like the Shephard’s dog and be loyal, pray, support, also care for the sheep and create a hedge between the church and the wolves of pride and destruction.
I so desire to hear the words at the end of my life, “welcome, My good and faithful servant.” I will pray with all I have to continue to build, guide and protect the kingdom of God here on the earth until the time of judgment. In Jesus’ name, Amen.