As you read John 10 today, we are met with a powerful statement in our first verse. Jesus again says, “I am” ...followed by... “the Good Shepherd.” He is stating once again he is God. The Good Shepherd is purposeful, he knows what must be done, and makes sure he sees it to the other side. It brings me a great sense of comfort that I have a Savior that knows me by name, and would lay down his life ...  Read More

John 10:11-13 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep."In John 10, we get to see an incredible character...  Read More

I recently had a mentor of mine give me a call. In the call, he lovingly scolded me for not “expanding my leadership” and seeing “God to be too small.” He reminded me that every time he has offered me an opportunity for personal growth, I have made some excuse as to why I couldn’t be a part of what he was offering. Do you know what? He is right. Instead of telling me what I wanted to hear, he told...  Read More

As I write, the date is August 5th, and if you have news or social media at your fingertips, you may have awakened to more headlines and drama from the Olympic games, an update on the political war that rages in our country a day before primary voting, or the crashing stock market that is a result of weak economics in our country and around the world. Maybe the news was more personal: an unexpecte...  Read More

Simple research tells us that sheep were a prominent animal in the Bible, providing many necessities for people in ancient Middle Eastern cultures: Food: milk, meat, and were often used as sacrificial animals; Clothing: Sheepskins were made into clothing and coverings for walls; Income: Sheep were a primary source of income; Other uses: Sheep horns were used as musical instruments or to hold oil, ...  Read More

Main Point and Overview:In his next stunning statement, Jesus declared himself to be the “good shepherd!” In the culture of that day, herding sheep was a relatable profession. Sheep produced a lot of resources, and they were considered valuable for many things. Jesus used the image of a shepherd speaking of his compassion for his disciples. A shepherd gets so close to his sheep that he knows their...  Read More