TRUSTING IN THE GOOD SHEPHERD DESPITE THE STORMS OF LIFE

Opening : We all know the story of Jesus as the Good Shepherd in John 10, tending to his flock. What an amazing image of faithfulness and promise - even amidst storms, hard times, and difficult decisions we face in life. No matter what lies ahead, our Good Shepherd will be there with us on the journey. As followers of Christ we can trust that God's promises are true no matter what struggles or hardships come our way. He is faithful to care for His children; it pays to remember these words of comfort when troubles arise: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).

JOhn 10:11-15 ““I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep.”

““I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before himself, sacrifices himself if necessary. A hired man is not a real shepherd. The sheep mean nothing to him. He sees a wolf come and runs for it, leaving the sheep to be ravaged and scattered by the wolf. He’s only in it for the money. The sheep don’t matter to him. “I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own sheep and my own sheep know me. In the same way, the Father knows me and I know the Father. I put the sheep before myself, sacrificing myself if necessary. You need to know that I have other sheep in addition to those in this pen. I need to gather and bring them, too. They’ll also recognize my voice. Then it will be one flock, one Shepherd. This is why the Father loves me: because I freely lay down my life. And so I am free to take it up again. No one takes it from me. I lay it down of my own free will. I have the right to lay it down; I also have the right to take it up again. I received this authority personally from my Father.””

‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭11‬-‭18‬ ‭MSG‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/97/jhn.10.11-18.MSG

Type in shadow SHEEP Ps. 95:7 (a) God’s people in their deep poverty and need must come constantly and frequently to the Lord to receive their sustenance and to enjoy His fellowship.

Ps 23 “A psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.”

GOD is not satisfied that you’ve taken one step, no more than you are satisfied that your children take their first step. All they did was get started. They still have to go to school. They still have to go through the teenage years. They still have to grow up and get married and have a family. The first step is great, but don’t stop with excitement over the first step. All that’s occurred is the introduction to spiritual life. There is an ongoing process of developing in the body of Christ.138

This morning want to give you 4 point in how we can trust in the good Shepherd and hectic times

1. The Good Shepherd is Always Near

The good shepherd is near to us even when we don't believe or feel he's near

a. It can be hard to imagine God as a loving shepherd when we feel alone in our pain and suffering. But God is always near to us, even if we cannot sense His presence. He faithfully guides us through the darkest times with compassion and understanding. Despite our current situation, God has not forgotten us nor left us abandoned. Instead of despairing over the fact that we don’t believe or feel his presence, let us focus on clinging to His promises which tell us that He never forsakes us even in our doubts and fears. After all, it is only by the power of grace that the good Shepherd stays close to his flock and never stops protecting them from all harm.

b. Reflecting on the Goodness of God in All Circumstances

The Lord is good and His mercy endures forever, even when life gets difficult. Rather than letting our current circumstances define us, we can take comfort in knowing that all things happen for a purpose—to bring glory to God. We can also remember that He works all things for the good of those who love Him

(Romans 8: “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did ob…”

c. He knows the plans. He knows what you don’t know because He see what we don’t see. He has plans.

God’s plans are His preferences. In theological circles, it’s called His permissive/preferred will. It’s what He wants to happen and is committed to make happen – what He longs to happen. His preferences are not automatically our experiences.

d. How do we participate and partner with God so that His preferences become our experience?

We do this through faith.

Faith is acting like God is telling the truth. Faith is doing what God says, even if it doesn’t make sense. Faith is believing and acting on the promises of God, no matter how impossible they may seem at the moment.

When we act in faith, partnering with God and allowing the Spirit to control our minds, He will lead us into a life that leads to His best for us. When we trust Him, we can be sure that His preferences will become our experience as well. He is a God of love and desires only the best for us!

As James 1:22-25 says “But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says.

Grace deposits into our accounts and faith withdraws it.

2. The Good Shepherd always Cares for this children and this upset the enemy .

the Bible often refers to God as a good shepherd who cares for His children. This imagery is used throughout the Old and New Testaments to illustrate God's love, care, and protection for His people.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus refers to Himself as the "good shepherd" who lays down His life for His sheep (John 10:11). This statement emphasizes the sacrificial nature of Jesus' love for His followers and His willingness to protect and provide for them at all costs.

A. Satan is upset by this because he seeks to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). Satan is opposed to God's plan of salvation and seeks to undermine God's work in the world. However, God's love and care for His people are stronger than the enemy's attempts to harm us and our family. God's love for us is greater than the enemy's plans and ultimately conquers all evil.

B. God's love for His people is also displayed through His promises to provide for our needs (Matthew 6:25-26). He has made it clear that He will never leave nor forsake us, no matter how difficult life may become.

C. The image of the good shepherd also reminds us of the responsibilities that come with being a follower of Christ. As Jesus' followers, we are called to listen to His voice, follow His commands, and care for one another as He cares for us. We are also called to share His love and care with those around us who may be lost or in need of guidance.

D.When we know that God cares for us it becomes an agitation to the enemy so every time that you walk with your heart posture knowing that God is caring it throws the enemy to a greater level of agitation

It is important to note that while God's care for us can agitate the enemy, it does not mean that we will never face challenges or difficulties in life. However, knowing that God cares for us can give us the strength and courage to face these challenges and overcome them.

E. Where you have been losing, you are about to start winning because you’re going to allow Jesus to turn your life upside down.

3. The Good sheperd always provide for his children

The Lord’s Heart Is To See You Blessed

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians‬ ‭4:19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

According to Strong’s Concordance, the Greek word for “Supply” is, ‘plēroō’ (G4137) which means, “To make full, to fill up, to fill to the full, to cause to abound, to furnish or supply liberally.” God will cause you to abound in both spiritual and natural things. He will fill up your cup and you shall lack nothing. He is the supply. He is your Source. The Lord will supply. Do not fear. Choose to trust in a God that can send rain in a drought. He can make a way in the wilderness.

A. The Lord will supply. His supply is endless. His reach is effortless. His storehouse has no end. His capacity and capability is beyond human comprehension. There is nothing that God cannot handle. The heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord. He can redirect hearts of those in authority to flow in your favor. God does not lack favor. He does not lack in wisdom. God does not lack in power. God does not lack in authority. His reach is endless.

B. Even The Ravens.

1kings 17:4-6 “Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food.” So Elijah did as the Lord told him and camped beside Kerith Brook, east of the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he drank from the brook.”

“And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.” 1 Kings‬ ‭17:4-6‬ ‭KJV‬‬.

Even in the drought, God redirected supply in order to feed Elijah. According to 1 Kings‬ ‭17:3‬ ‭KJV, God gave the command to Elijah to go by the brook, “Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.” ‬‬

Supply comes when you obey God. When you surrender to and obey God’s Word, He will supply even in the middle of a drought. Elijah did not panic nor did he fear, He listened to the Voice of God to redirect Him. At the brook he was nourished and fed.

God commanded the ravens to feed him. Ravens are carnivorous. They are self interested creatures. They are scavengers and opportunistic — they eat whatever comes their way. God commanded these ravenous creatures to give up their supply and feed Elijah. God will cause the self interested carnivores to give you food, opportunities, supply and favor.

The ravens belong to the Lord and He is the Lord of the supply. He will redirect resources to feed you and He will turn hearts to promote you. Don’t worry about the ravens — God will use them to feed you. He will make your enemies your footstool. God will prepare a table before you in the presence of your enemies. God will supersede the natural order and process in order to feed you from the mouth of ravens.

4. The Good Shepherd Guides Us to Safety

a. With an ever-watchful eye, the Good Shepherd looks out for potential danger and provides comfort in times of distress.