you can't have my Father's sheep

 I was thinking about David when he was a young boy. David was given a responsibility. He was sent out to take care of his father's sheep. He was out in the field and at some point a lion came in to take the sheep and David relied on God to help him kill that lion. Another time a bear came to attack the sheep. Again, David relied on God's help to defeat that bear and protect the sheep. He was not going to allow anything to take or destroy those sheep. When David ended up on the battlefield he saw Goliath, the Philistine giant, mocking and laughing at the Israelites. He was appalled by the giant's mockery and the inability of any one to stand up to this giant. Even King Saul was afraid to face that giant. David stood up for God's people, God's sheep. He faced that giant in the name of the Lord and with God's help defeated Goliath and brought victory to the Israelites. 

I think as a parent, I have been given responsibility over my children's souls. I am to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.(Ephesians 6:4) I am to teach them who Jesus is and show them how to live a life in obedience to the Gospel.  I am also to protect their souls. I can do this by praying for them, first and foremost. Prayer will bring about a spiritual effect that nothing I can ever say or do will have in the physical world. Prayer can change the outcome of any situation. I can also guide and at times discipline my own children to help them along life's path. I will fight for their souls. I will not allow the enemy to influence them by being a greater influence on them. I will fight for them in prayer. 

Hebrews 10:24-25

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

As I read this scripture, I am also seeing that we as Christians can consider others and lead them or spur them on toward love and good deeds. We can encourage one another and lift up one another. We are to be a support to our brothers and sisters in Christ. We need to help one another reach toward the goal. We have the goal of heaven and we have the goal of living our lives in accordance with the will of God. When we see a fellow Christian struggling, we can pray for them and intercede in prayer. (Romans 8:26-27). We can speak words of encouragement and guidance to those who need it. We can bring scriptures to remembrance and share testimonies of God's deliverance and faithfulness. We need one another to strengthen and uplift each other. 

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

I am not willing to allow the enemy to claim a brother or sister in Christ without giving him a fight. I will fight for them in prayer and in reaching out to them. I will urge them to reach for love and reach for God. I will not allow the enemy to take one of my Father's sheep without a fight. 

Let us fight for one another. Let us come together in unity and encourage one another. Let us come together in love for one another that the world may know that we are his disciples. 

John 13:34-35

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

mosaic

Have you ever taken the time to look at a mosaic?  It amazes me how much a mosiac can tell you how to live.  To make a mosaic, the pieces are broken, shaped and placed carefully by the hand of the artist. The little pieces in and of themselves may not be beautiful, but as part of the whole, they add beauty and depth.  They each have a place in a whole beautiful picture.  Each piece must be there to create the entire effect.  Each piece must work together for the whole image to be perfect. The artist gets that, the pieces may not understand it.  The pieces have to trust the artist to do it right.  I guess that is just like us, we have to trust God to get it right.  We have to trust He is shaping others just like he is shaping us to use us in the mosaic to create a beautiful picture.  We have to work right in the place He puts us because He sees the big picture when we can't.

in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,

Ephesians 2:21 NKJV

We are part of something God is creating.  We need to allow God to work on us and mold us to fit into the calling He has for us. 

And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the Lord . “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!

Jeremiah 18:4‭-‬6 NKJV

We are being shaped and corrected when we submit to God's will. His plan for us is to change and become more like Him. We need to allow God to change us and shape us. He will speak to us, remove things we don't need, and add what we do need. We need to trust Him even when it doesn't make any sense. The clay does not tell the potter how to do the job, or what it wants to be.  The clay is to be malleable and foldable. The potter works the clay to remove impurities and make it workable. Trust His process, because in the end, the clay turns out beautiful and functional. It is turned into something useful with purpose. I want to be useful to God for His purpose. 

Just like a mosaic, we are each being changed and maybe even broken a little to be fit into the Kingdom of God. Place you life in His hands so He can fulfill His purpose in your life.

what am I known for?

What are you known for?  I think we all wonder at times about that question and it may even change as time goes by. We may be known for doing a job well or for our attitude. We may be known for an event in our lives or how we treat others. I don't always really know what I am known for, but I know what I want to be known for. I want to be known as a child of God. 

Paul wrote to the church at Philippi about what he hoped to see and hear about them.

Philippians 1:27-28 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but [f]to you of salvation, and that from God.

This is the reputation Paul prayed the Christians at Philippi would have. He wanted them to be known for their standing in unity together and working together in faith. He did not want them to be afraid but to be known as saved as only God can save. What a reputation!  He wanted them to reflect the saving grace of God, be able to stand together in unity and in faith. He wanted them to be known as Christ-like by fulfilling the work that God had called them to do. Paul wanted their reputation to be like his own as well. Paul was known as a preacher of the gospel, bold in faith, and never backing down. 

I also want a reputation of faith and being a reflection of Christ. I want others to see Christ in me by the way I talk, by my actions, and by my love of God and others. I want it said that I spoke Christ to others, showed Christ to others and lived what I believed. I want my faith to be reflected in all I do and how I live. I want the Word of God to be permeated in every action I make and every word I speak. I am far from where I want to be but I pray that God will lead me and direct my path. I pray He will reveal to me my shortcomings and change me to be more like Him. I want His Spirit to reign over my soul and my own desires. I need Him to take charge of my heart and my mind. Is this easy? No. But is it worth it? Yes!  God needs to have complete control of me. I choose to surrender every part of me to His will. 

Proverbs 22:1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,

Loving favor rather than silver and gold.

I want to be known as a child of God and all He stands for. I want to stand for Him in faith and love. I want my reputation to be a reflection of God in my life. I choose to serve the Lord.  I want my reputation to come from Him and what He is doing in my life.