Wisdom for Wealthy Preachers and Prosperity Teachers

I want to discuss two types of people for whom it is very hard to enter the kingdom of heaven. However, in order to set the context properly, I would first like to discuss the difficulty level for most others besides these two types of people.

The General Populace
First of all, it is already difficult for anyone to enter the kingdom, contrary to popular opinion. This is what Jesus taught. He said:

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.’” (Joh 14:6)

People want to believe that there are many ways to God, but Jesus taught that there is only one way and that no one comes to the Father except through Him. Christianity is very exclusive. There can be no other gods beside Jesus. He alone is Lord. No idols are allowed. It matters not how nice of a person you are or how many good works you do, if you don’t come through faith in Jesus Christ, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.

You have to repent and believe in Him. “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’" (Mat 4:17). Yet the message of repentance is seldom heard today.

Jesus also said to Nicodemus, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God…Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God…Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.’” (Joh 3:3,5,7)

You might be raised as a Christian and attend Church all your life, but you must be born again in order to see the kingdom of God. Without being born again, born of water and of the Spirit, you cannot enter the kingdom of God.

You must be converted and become like children, or else you will not enter. Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Mat 18:3)

And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” (Luk 9:23)

Much of what is being preached these days is a cross-less gospel. People want to have all the positive benefits of following Jesus without the cross. If you don’t accept the crucified Christ you cannot get to heaven. If you don’t take up your own cross daily and follow Him, you cannot be His disciple.

"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.” (Luk 9:24)

As I wrote in my article, The Cost of Discipleship, following Jesus will cost you everything.

Jesus said that many people follow the wide road that leads to destruction, and few people follow the narrow way that leads to life. "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Mat 7:13-14)

This is why entering through this door requires striving. "Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” (Luk 13:24)

There are four types of soil and only one of the four produces a crop when the seed is planted on it. The hard-packed soil along the path, the rocky soil, and the soil that has thorns are the three types that do not produce any lasting fruit. Only the good soil that hears the word and accepts it is the one that produces a crop, thirty, sixty, or a hundred fold what was sown (Mk 4:14-20).

The Righteous
Now that I have set the stage by showing how difficult it is in general for anyone to be saved, let’s look at how it is for the righteous to be saved. Peter wrote, “And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner?” (1Pe 4:18). This clearly teaches us that it is with difficulty that the righteous person is saved.

Jesus said that our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees. "For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Mat 5:20)

He also said, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.” (Mt 7:21)

The apostle Paul also taught that we must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God. “After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, ‘Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.’” (Act 14:21-22)

As I wrote in my article, Remember Lot’s Wife, once you have decided to follow Jesus, don’t look back. “But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.’”(Luk 9:62). As that song says, “I have decided to follow Jesus. The cross before me; the world behind me. No turning back! No turning back.”

The Rich
Yet of all the people in the world, it is perhaps hardest for the rich to enter the kingdom. Jesus said to His disciples, "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." (Mat 19:23-24).

Jesus told the rich young man that, in order to enter life he must obey the commandments. While the man was confident that he had kept these since he was a boy, Jesus told him that to be perfect, he should go sell his possessions and give to the poor. But he went away sad, because he was wealthy. The deceitfulness of riches and the cares of this world are like thorns that choke the life out of the seed of the Word that is planted in our hearts. So beware of riches.

Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” (Mat 6:24).

He also said, "Woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort." (Luk 6:24, NIV).

Paul wrote to Timothy, “But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1Ti 6:9-10).

Despite all these warnings in Scripture, the prosperity gospel is one of the most popular teachings in the Church today. I’m warning you, flee from the love of money.

The Teachers
The last type of person for whom it is most difficult to enter the kingdom of heaven is the teacher. In this same group we have all those who preach the Word, and any minister of the gospel. James wrote, “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.” (Jas 3:1). This means that those who teach the Word will be judged with greater strictness and the punishment will be more severe.

Jesus said, "And that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.” (Luk 12:47-48)

Those who teach are the ones who know the Master’s will. If they do not get ready or act according to His will, they will be beaten with many blows. They have been given much. Therefore, much will be required of them.

Paul knew this very well. That is why he said, “But I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” (1Co 9:27).

Jesus said, “Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.'” (Mat 7:21-23)

Notice that these people who call Jesus their Lord even prophesied, cast out demons, and performed miracles. Yet the Lord said He never knew them, and told them to depart from Him, because they did not do the Father’s will, but practiced lawlessness.

Don’t assume that because you are a preacher or teacher that you will go to heaven. In fact, it is quite the contrary, since it is even more difficult for ministers of the gospel to be saved.

Putting it All Together
We must come through Jesus alone, repent, be converted through the experience of being born again, born of water and of the Spirit, and become as children. We must deny self, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. We must do the will of the Father in heaven. We must put Jesus words into practice.

Scripture teaches us that it is a straight and narrow way to get to heaven and few are those who find it. Fewer still are those who after finding it remain on it until they reach the holy city.

We must enter the kingdom through many hardships. It’s hard for the righteous to be saved. But it is even harder for the rich, as well as the preachers and teachers. I’m sure that plenty of people in both those categories have lost their souls, despite confessing Jesus as Lord. Indeed, the ones for whom it will be hardest of all are those who are rich teachers or rich preachers. They have the least chance of ever entering the kingdom of heaven, because they have two major challenges, either of which would difficult enough on its own.

Therefore, let me encourage you today to fight the good fight, beat your body and make it your slave, throw off every sin that so easily entangles us, run the race with perseverance, compete according to the rules, enter through the narrow gate, walk the straight and narrow path, deny yourself, take up your cross, follow Jesus, get ready, and do the Father’s will. Don’t be deceived by the riches of this world. And let not many of you become teachers, much less wealthy preachers or prosperity teachers.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. 

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, I recommend reading my articles What's Wrong with the Prosperity Gospel?, A Biblical View of the Poor, The Forgotten Sin of Worldliness, The Cost of Discipleship, The Straight and Narrow Path, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, Ibrahim's Experience in Hell, Exposing Heresy, The Top Ten Things Jesus Taught, Better a Little, All Things Handed Over to Jesus Christ, The Fiery Sufferings of the Believer, Holy Fire Baptism, Avoid Becoming a Corrupted Christian, Is Obedience Optional?, Striving to Enter the Kingdom of God, Walking in the Perfect Will of God, and Costly Grace. I also recommend Kenneth Hagin’s Forgotten Warning by J. Lee Grady.  You may access more of my articles on the Main Directory of this blog, as well as my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org

Leadership Approach Reveals View of God

I would like to share with you some thoughts on Christian leadership that my wife Jennifer had, which I thought were quite insightful. She said:

"It seems that the way in which the leadership in a church or other Christian organization behaves and treats others reflects their view of God and of the gospel.

If the leadership is behaving in a way that is not consistent with the God of the Bible, then are they really worshiping the one true God?

If the leadership is behaving in a way that is inconsistent with the gospel of Jesus Christ, then are they really preaching the true gospel?

On the one hand, the leadership can view God as someone who tolerates sin.  In that case, they do not take sin seriously and do not take measures to bring discipline. They fail to realize that according to the Bible, those who live in sin will not be accepted by God and, thus, will enter the kingdom of God (Rev. 21:8; 22:15; 1 Cor. 6:9-10).

On the other hand, the leadership can view God as someone who is rather on the unforgiving, unmerciful side and nearly impossible to please.   This view will most likely lead to sheep abuse. Furthermore, even God 'does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities' (Ps. 103:10 NIV), when we walk with Him with Him in contrition.

Leadership in this category need to be reminded that God is love.  Love is patient and kind.  It's not easily angered.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres (1 Cor. 13).  Leadership that is not behaving in a manner consistent with this description is not representing God."

I agree with her, and she said it well. I would add that the people in any church or Christian organization tend to reflect the views of the leadership, which shapes the culture within that group. So it can have a beneficial effect or a damaging one.

Author's note:  If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog available through the Home page, such as A Tale of Two Kings, The Servant of the Lord, The Shepherding Role of Elders, Success in God's Eyes, Accountable, correctable, and teachable, A Personality Profile of the Apostle Paul, Persecuted or Popular?, The Nature of False Prophets, Are We Really Little Gods?, Testing the Spirits of False Prophets, and Having a Servant's Heart. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Success in God's Eyes

Success in God's eyes does not mean you'll have great numbers of people following you. Beware when all men speak well of you. Jesus warned, "Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way." (Luk 6:26)

In reading Jeremiah, I am amazed by his godly success. His main message was "Turn now everyone from his evil way and from the evil of your deeds, and dwell on the land which the LORD has given to you and your forefathers forever and ever; and do not go after other gods to serve them and to worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands, and I will do you no harm." (Jer 25:5-6).  Yet the people of Judah did not listen to him during his 23 years of ministry, warning them to turn from their evil ways and prophesying God's coming judgment. (Jer 25:3). Instead, they cursed him, mocked him, spoke arrogantly to him, beat him, abused him, imprisoned him in solitary confinement, and threatened him with death. Yet he continued to prophesy the Word of the Lord to them for another 18 years after that (Jer 52:12).

They never did listen to him. So they were carried in chains into exile in Babylon for 70 years, where they remained captive and fell by the sword, famine, and plague. Yet the Babylonians, who recognized him as a true prophet of God, treated Jeremiah kindly. And he was spared from going into exile. “Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, saying, ‘Take him and look after him, and do nothing harmful to him, but rather deal with him just as he tells you.’” (Jer 39:11-12). It may not look like success to the world, but let's see someone try to top that!

Jeremiah has touched more people since his death than he did during his lifetime. There were about 4,600 people from Judah who went into Babylonian captivity (Jer 52:30). That was his audience. But since his death around 2,500 years ago, his writings have been translated into over 2,000 languages and read by hundreds of millions of people around the world! His writings have encouraged many, led some of those people to repentance, helped many to persevere through trials, and others to a closer walk with God. That goes to show us that we can't base our sense of success on what we see in the natural during our lifetime. Instead we should serve the Lord with our whole heart in obedience to His commands, and trust that He will bring forth fruit for His glory that will last long after we're gone from this world.

Many Christians will gladly receive false prophets who predict good times ahead, peace and safety. The apostle Paul warned that “While they are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.” (1Th 5:3). There are plenty of prophets like this. But they usually practice deceit (Jer 8:10). Both prophet and priest are polluted (Jer 23:11). Jeremiah gave us the real test of a true prophet. "The prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet comes to pass, then that prophet will be known as one whom the LORD has truly sent." (Jer 28:9).

Historically, the religious people have persecuted God’s true prophets. It would not surprise me if non-believers have greater respect for God's true prophets than do the sons and daughters of light. Jesus said that if anyone receives a prophet in the name of a prophet, he would receive a prophet's reward (Mt 10:41). Ebed-Melech was a good example. He was a Cushite from the Nile region who helped get Jeremiah out of the cistern (Jer 38:8-9). Later he received a reward (Jer 39:15-17). And if they receive a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, they will receive a righteous man's reward. Jesus said that if they receive true disciple, then in doing so they also receive Jesus Himself. And if they receive Jesus, they receive the Father who sent Him (Mt 10:40).

Look at the people of Nineveh for example.  These non-believing Gentiles received Jonah as a true prophet and their reward was that God spared their city.  There were 120,000 children in that great city, which didn’t know their right hand from their left, plus adults and animals (Jon 4:11).  That was a real success!

I love the book of Jonah, because it’s a true story of mercy and compassion.  He had a mission to go and preach to people who were enemies of Israel.  The message was that they needed to repent, because Nineveh would be destroyed in 40 days.  Many Christians today would say we don’t need that kind of preaching.  They would say that it’s doom and gloom, and that we need more preaching on love and grace.

But I see it just the opposite. The whole reason that God sent the prophet Jonah to Nineveh was that He did not want to have to destroy them.  But God was going to have to destroy them, if they did not repent of their wickedness.  The only obstacle was that Jonah knew that God would mercifully spare them, if they repented.  He did not want to see these enemies of Israel spared.  In fact, after the whole city, from the king to the most lowly person repented, and God spared them from destruction, Jonah confessed to God why He ran from his mission.  “He prayed to the LORD and said, ‘Please LORD, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity.’” (Jon 4:2).

Then there was also the mercy that God showed to Jonah himself.  When God told Jonah to go to Nineveh to preach, he ran from God and went in the opposite direction, away from Nineveh.  But the ship he was on encountered a huge storm that nearly sank it. It was only when they threw Jonah overboard that the storm ceased.  And God in His mercy sent a big fish to swallow Jonah.  It was there in the belly of the fish that Jonah himself repented.  God forgave him and had mercy on Him, giving him a second chance to complete the mission. The Lord knew before He sent Jonah that this would happen, and He intended on being merciful to Jonah. God also intended on being merciful to the Ninevites before He sent Jonah to preach to them.  And in the end, the Lord was merciful to Jonah and the Ninevites. 

So rather than doom and gloom, this was a real story of mercy and compassion in every respect, for those who have ears to hear.  Maybe the church today needs more preaching of repentance, faith and forgiveness.  Those who do preach this message are in good company with people like Jeremiah, Jonah, Jesus, and John the Baptist. 

However, preachers may be afraid that they will lose people, by proclaiming this message.  It’s true that often times the so-called believers don’t receive the servants of God sent to them. So if you’re concerned about rejection, the prospects of this could scare you away from this kind of preaching.  It’s not for the faint of heart.

Jesus only had one apostle and a few women who remained with Him to the end, during His crucifixion.  The rest were scattered.  The apostle Paul, at the end of his life said, "At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them." (2Ti 4:16) In some of the places where Paul made disciples and established churches, those same places are dominated by Islam today with barely a trace of Christian faith present.

But those who are obedient to the Lord in preaching the full gospel of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ will receive a rich reward.  Their ministry may seem like a dismal failure in man’s eyes, but that’s not what God looks at. They may not draw large crowds, but they are truly successful in God’s eyes.  And the fruit they bring forth will be the kind that lasts!

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog available through the links in the side bar. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

The Lord, Our Shepherd

Why is a shepherd important? I mean, you've got your iPhone in your pocket and you're just a touch away from internet access at all times. You can call or email anyone you want from anywhere there's cell phone access. You've got your wireless laptop and your GPS to guide you to any point on the planet. Aren't shepherds sort of obsolete? These days, it's hard to see why we need one when we're all so self-sufficient and hi-tech.

I'd like to show you in God's Word exactly why a shepherd is so important. Specifically, let's look at the difference between the shepherd's role and the sheep's role.

The Good Shepherd’s Role
First let's look at the role of the good shepherd.

He is the Door we must enter through
"But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep.” (Joh 10:2)

So Jesus said to them again, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.” (Joh 10:7)

He saves the sheep
"I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” (Joh 10:9)

He calls his own sheep by name
"To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” (Joh 10:3)

He goes ahead of his sheep and leads them
"When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.” (Joh 10:4)

He puts forth his own
"When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.” (Joh 10:4)

He lays down His life for His sheep
"I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” (Joh 10:11)

"For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father." (Joh 10:17-18)

He knows His own sheep
"I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me.” (Joh 10:14)

He searches for the lost and seeks them out
For thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. (Eze 34:11)

He cares for the sheep and delivers them
"As a shepherd cares for his herd in the day when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will care for My sheep and will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered on a cloudy and gloomy day.” (Eze 34:12)

"Also the tree of the field will yield its fruit and the earth will yield its increase, and they will be secure on their land. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bars of their yoke and have delivered them from the hand of those who enslaved them.” (Eze 34:27)

He restores the sheep
“He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake.” (Psa 23:3)

He feeds the flock
"I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and bring them to their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams, and in all the inhabited places of the land. I will feed them in a good pasture, and their grazing ground will be on the mountain heights of Israel. There they will lie down on good grazing ground and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest," declares the Lord GOD. “ (Eze 34:13-15)

“He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. “ (Psa 23:2)

He seeks the lost sheep
"I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with judgment.” (Eze 34:16)

He provides an abundant life for His sheep
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (Joh 10:10)

He gives His sheep eternal life
“I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” (Joh 10:28)

The Sheep’s Role
Now that we've looked at the shepherd's role, let's see what the sheep's role is. Notice how simple it is. There's nothing complicated about it.

The sheep must know the shepherd
"I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me.” (Joh 10:14)

The sheep must hear the voice of their shepherd
"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (Joh 10:27)

"To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” (Joh 10:3)

The sheep must not only hear but know the shepherd’s voice
"When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.” (Joh 10:4)

The sheep must enter through the door
"I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. (Joh 10:9)

The sheep must find pasture
"I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. (Joh 10:9)

So there was not much to the sheep's role, was there! That's because sheep are rather simple and can't handle anything too complicated.

The Nature of a Bad Shepherd
Now let's explore the nature of a bad shepherd. By doing this, it really helps emphasize how good the Good Shepherd really is. We need to see this, because we often take for granted what Jesus does for the sheep. Here are some aspects of a bad shepherd.

He feeds only himself
Then the word of the LORD came to me saying, "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?” (Eze 34:1-2)

He uses the sheep for his own gain
"You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock.” (Eze 34:3)

He does not care for the sheep
"Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them.” (Eze 34:4)

There is a lot in these verses. The bad shepherd feeds only himself, rather than the sheep. He uses the sheep for his own gain. He does not care for the sheep. He does not strengthen the sickly sheep, he does not heal the sick ones, he does not bind up the broken ones, he does not bring back the ones that are scattered, he does not seek the lost ones, and he dominates the sheep with severity.

Putting it All Together
There are many godly pastors who serve like the Good Shepherd. Thank the Lord for them. Unfortunately, some pastors of churches operate like bad shepherds. For many people, this is all they have ever seen or known in a shepherd. This has caused a lot of damage to people around the world. As a result, many of them refuse to ever go back to a church again. Others have found a safe place, where they are being cared for and getting healed.

But Jesus is good all the time. He strengthens the sickly sheep, He heals the sick ones, He binds up the broken ones, He brings back the ones that are scattered, and He seeks the lost ones. He saves the sheep from perishing. He knows His sheep and calls his own sheep by name, because He has a loving relationship with them. He goes ahead of his sheep and leads them, rather than driving them along. He puts forth his own. He has lain down His life for His sheep. He provides an abundant life for His sheep, and gives them eternal life.

This figure of speech using the shepherd and the sheep is used often in Scripture to show the relationship between God and His people. The prophet Ezekiel wrote: "As for you, My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, you are men, and I am your God," declares the Lord GOD. (Eze 34:31)

So what is our role as sheep? It’s not complicated, as some would try to make it. First of all the sheep must enter through Jesus, the Door. There is no other way to enter the fold. The sheep must know Jesus, the Good Shepherd. It’s a relationship with Him, not a set of religious ceremonies and rituals. The sheep must hear the voice of Jesus and know His voice. This can only happen when you spend time with Him and get to know Him through His Word and prayer, listening for His still, small voice inside your heart speaking to you. The sheep must find pasture. The Lord will lead us to green pastures, but we need to then find the pasture He has led us to and we must feed in that place – not the place of our own choosing. When we do, we experience the abundant life He gives.

Maybe you are reading this and you do not know Him well. You don’t really hear His voice, because you have never come to know His voice. You have been trained to hear man’s voice. As a result, you’ve not been following Him like you should. He’s calling you to Himself today. He’s calling you to a place of intimacy with Him, where you are close to Him and know Him well. But you need to respond and draw near to Him.

Do you want to have that abundant life? Do you want to be healed from your sickness and brokenness? Do you want to be rescued from the dangerous place you are in and delivered from your life of slavery? Do you want to be brought home to your own land from the place where you have been scattered and lost? Do you want to hear God call you by your own name? Do you want to be fed well? If you want any of these things, Jesus is the answer.

He is the Door and you need to begin by entering through Him. Have you done that? If you have, but you’ve left the fold, come back today. If you have never entered the Door, you can enter today.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. 

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog available through the links in the side bar. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do you want to know Him?
If you want to know Jesus, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Him.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.


Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.