My Sheep Know My Voice

John 10:24-30, "The Jews gathered around Him saying, 'How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.' Jesus answered, 'I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in My Father's name speak for Me, but you do not believe because you are not My sheep. My sheep listen to My voice, I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand. My Father Who has given them to Me is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and the Father ARE ONE (in the Same!)" 

Jesus IS GOD in the flesh. Those people who accept His death on the Cross for their sin are His "sheep." We know His voice. The Holy Spirit is Jesus GOD in us and we know His voice. He leads us by His WORD the Bible and His Holy Spirit leading us. Jesus is the WORD that became flesh for to take all sin from mankind upon Him. The death in the eternal Lake of Fire has been paid for you if you come to His salvation for you. It is your choice to choose eternal life with Him in glory forevermore or choose to reject Him and witness His glory from the eternal flames of an everlasting Lake of Fire "...where the flames aren't quenched and the worm never dies." (Mark 9:48) Accept Jesus' forgiveness of your sins today and begin being led by His Holy Spirit to realize our Awesome, Almighty, Creator, Savior, Holy Father GOD's Love for you!

Jesus Is the Gate

John 10:7-21, "Jesus said again, 'I tell you the truth, I Am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I Am the gate, whoever enters through Me will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy; I have come that they may have life and and have it to the full. (In abundance) I Am the good Shepherd Who lays down His life for His sheep. The hired hand does not own the sheep. So when the wolf comes, he abandons the sheep. Then the wolf attacks the sheep and scatters them. The man runs away because he does not care about the sheep. I (Jesus) know my sheep and my sheep know Me. Just as the Father knows Me, I know the Father and lay down My life for the sheep. The Father Loves Me because I lay down My life for the sheep. I (Jesus) lay it down of My own accord and I have the authority to to take it up again. This command I received from My Father.' At these words the Jews were again divided. Many of them said, 'He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to Him?' But others said, 'These are not the words of a demon. Demons cannot open the eyes of the blind.' "

In this parable, the saved are portrayed as "sheep" knowing the voice of their Shepherd. They follow Him in and out of the gate. The Holy Spirit is GOD's voice to the saved. Upon salvation, the Holy Spirit enters, leading, guiding, and directing our lives. We have to be willing to accept His leadership. This is why Jesus laid down His life upon the Cross where He bore all of our sins. But He took up His life again when He rose from the dead. Only those who belong to Him will enter the Gate of Heaven. It's not by "good works" but by the forgiveness of our sins by Christ Jesus that we are given eternal life in Him. Jesus said, "I Am the way, the truth, and the life. NO ONE comes to the Father but through Me." (John 14:6)

Have you come to Christ Jesus for salvation? It only takes your prayer of asking Him to forgive you of your sins and to come into your heart. He will then be your Shepherd, leading you in this life. He will guide you through the gate of this life into Eternity with Him forever and ever. 

Jesus is the Good Shepherd

John 10:1-6, " 'I (Jesus) tell you, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and they come out. When he has brought out all his sheep, he goes on ahead of them and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact they will run away from him for they do not recognize a stranger's voice.' Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what He was telling them." Just as the shepherd cares for his sheep, Jesus the Good Shepherd, cares for His flock (those who follow Him.) The prophet Ezekiel, in predicting the coming of the Messiah, called Him a shepherd. (Ezekiel 34:23) 

Matthew 25:32-34 tells of the final judgment: "All the nations will be gathered before Him (Jesus), and He will separate the people one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep (believers) on His right hand and the goats (unbelievers) on His left. The the King (Jesus) will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world...' (verse 41 continues the judgment) Then He will say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.' "

The Lake of Fire is not only for the devil and his angels, but also for all of mankind who have rejected Christ Jesus - those who looked forward and rejected His salvation as well as those who now look back and reject His salvation. Do you know Jesus? All you need do is repent of your sins to Him and ask His forgiveness. He will forgive you and His Holy Spirit will enter and confirm your salvation!

Jesus Teaches About Spiritual Blindness

John 9:35-41, "When Jesus heard they (the Pharisees) had thrown the man (whom Jesus had healed his physical blindness from birth) out, He found him and said, 'Do you believe in the Son of Man?' 'Who is he, sir?' the man asked. 'Tell me that I may believe in him.' Jesus said, 'You have seen Him; in fact He is the One speaking with you.' Then the man said, 'LORD, I believe,' and he worshiped Him. Jesus said, 'For judgment I have come into this world so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.' Some Pharisees who were with Him heard Him say this and asked, 'What! Are we blind too!' Jesus said, 'If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.' "

When you turn to Christ, you begin to see Him differently. The longer you walk with Him, the better you will understand Who He is. If you want to know more about Jesus, keep trusting Him in every area of your life.* (*Bible commentary) "Grow in the grace and knowledge of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ." (I Peter 3:18) Though the Pharisees had physical sight, they were spiritually blind to the truth of Who Jesus Christ was. As so many multitudes of people are today. Come to Jesus as your Savior and the Holy Spirit will lead you into the righteousness of His salvation and will for your life.