Week #21 – Good Shepherd, Seek Your Lost Sheep… For I Am One!

Psalm 119:169-176 – May my cry come before you, O LORD; give me understanding according to your word.

May my supplication come before you; deliver me according to your promise. May my lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees. May my tongue sing of your word, for all your commands are righteous. May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight. Let me live that I may praise you, and may your laws sustain me. I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands.

These verses conclude the longest chapter in the Bible.  We have noted all along how the Psalmist loves God’s Word supremely.  There is no equal, in all the world, to the goodness and righteousness of God’s commands, precepts, statutes and decrees.  God’s Word is holy, pure and true!  It is altogether PERFECT!  And, it is the author’s highest delight and desire to understand and live by His law.  He eagerly seeks to apply God’s promises and commands in every part of his life… and yet, he goes astray!  This has never been about his ability to attain, by his own religious effort, the standard of God’s holy laws and requirements.  No one is saved by his own efforts to obtain a righteous standing, because: “ALL WE like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way…” (Isaiah 53:6).  Salvation and deliverance come from the Good Shepherd who came to seek and to save the lost!  Recognition of the beauty and perfection of God’s Word is wonderful, but that alone cannot save us!  Striving to apply God’s precepts and statutes is honorable, but in itself cannot keep us from falling!  We need the Good Shepherd to seek us and to save us from our sins!  His name is called JESUS!  “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”  (Isaiah 53:5).

Luke 15 is a chapter filled with parables revealing the God who seeks the lost and restores them to His loving care and usefulness!  Like the Psalmist, you may have discovered that all your best efforts to live up to the high and holy standards and precepts of God’s Word have fallen short and missed the mark of perfection.  Although you recognize the perfection of God’s laws and commands, you stumble and fall more than you care to admit!  Turn your eyes upon JESUS, the author and perfector of your faith!  The Word that became flesh desires to dwell in you.  He doesn’t just want you to know His perfect Law, He wants you to know HIM – intimately, personally!  He’s been seeking you to have that kind of relationship with Him all along! 

“To HIM who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy– to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” (Jude 24,25).

 

Thursday:                                                                                                         

• Meet together with at least 1 or 2 other believers (perhaps your family) to enter the Throne Room of Grace.
• Join our 6:00pm Thursday night prayer team.         

Friday:             

• Thank God for His amazing grace that seeks and saves the lost!
• Pray for the Good News families of the week: Betty George, Pastor Dave & Cindy George, Peter & Laurel George (Annabeth, Luke, Josiah),

Saturday:       

• Praise God that His law is love, His gospel is peace, and that His Word became flesh!

Sunday:                                                                      

• Be thankful that, even though we may stray, the Good Shepherd seeks and rescues His sheep.

 Monday:                                                                                              

• Pray that your relationship with Christ will bring His Word to life and keep you from falling.
• Attend “In Touch” Prayer meeting at GNCC at 10:30am or join in prayer at that time.

 Tuesday:       

• Praise God for hearing your cries and supplications, and for saving you from your sins!

Wednesday:   

• Give thanks for God’s perfect Word, that reflects His perfect nature, inspires holy living and an intimate relationship with the Author!   

 

Prayer Challenge: Pray that God will grant every believer a passionate devotion to His Word and a humble recognition that we have much room for growth and improvement.  When you fall or are tempted to go astray, cry out to God.  Ask God to help you appropriate His corrective discipline.  Recognize that His Holy Word leads us to a saving relationship with its Author!