JESUS today YOU will SAVE me.
Eat This Book
Read Proverbs Chapter 21
Ezekiel 34
1 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.
7 Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord;
8 As I live, saith the Lord God, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;
9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord;
10 Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.
11 For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.
15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God.
16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.
17 And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats.
18 Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet?
19 And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet.
20 Therefore thus saith the Lord God unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle.
21 Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad;
22 Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle.
23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.
24 And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it.
25 And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.
26 And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.
27 And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them.
28 And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid.
29 And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more.
30 Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord God.
31 And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God.
The POFW Daily Bible Reading 
Verse 30-31 CEV “Then everyone will know that I protect my people Israel. I, the Lord, make this promise. They are my sheep; I am their God, and I take care of them.” One of the captions in this chapter says “The Lord Is the Good Shepherd”. Psalm 23:1-4 CEV “You, Lord, are my shepherd. I will never be in need. You let me rest in fields of green grass. You lead me to streams of peaceful water, and you refresh my life. You are true to your name, and you lead me along the right paths. I may walk through valleys as dark as death, but I won’t be afraid. You are with me, and your shepherd’s rod[a] makes me feel safe.”
It is a terrible day when God has to speak judgment against those he entrusted with the keeping of his sheep. We hear so much about this in our news every time they come across a fallen shepherd because they love to tear down that which they’ve rejected themselves. They seek to discredit God’s order… but notice what the prophet had to say. ‘Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle. And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.’ Yes, God will take to task anyone, regardless of their position or pedigree, because he is no respector of persons… but his response to address those shepherds who had failed was to provide a perfect shepherd to be their guide. God knows that his sheep are in need of a shepherd! We don’t blame him or his order when one of them fail… we recognize the frailty of man and intercede for those who carry that burden among us! God still has a purpose for his shepherds today: ‘And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it.’ He needs to be both Lord and God of our lives! He will always retain the ultimate authority over his flock and the shepherds he’s chosen to place among them, and he intends on doing so by remaining to be our God in every situation! Pray for the shepherds as they pray for the sheep and as we continue in prayer one for the other, God can continue to do what he desires to do among his people today! It has always been about him and his kingdom!
10 “‘Watch out! I’m coming down on the shepherds and taking my sheep back. They’re fired as shepherds of my sheep. No more shepherds who just feed themselves! I’ll rescue my sheep from their greed. They’re not going to feed off my sheep any longer!
Let’s pray that Jesus brings the lost, the injured, the sick, the backslid, and the weak to the Pentecostals of Fort Worth so that we can show them the God we worship and serve loves can cared for them.
MSG Version*
*loves and cares
hem out.
12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.
15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord
God has this beautiful easy of stepping in and taking care of people when the person he puts in charge fails them. The word tells us in James 3 that those in a master’s position will reduce a greater condemnation. We live in a merciful world that uses power to to hurt instead of lead people, but we have hope in Christ that one day he will come and seek out his people.
Ezekiel 34:24 (English Amp) And I will raise up over Shepherd and He shall feed them, even My Servant David, He shall be their Shepherd. ( John 10: 14) I am the Good Shepherd; and I know and recognize My own know and recognize Me. Even as[truly as] the Father know me and I am giving My ( very own) life and laying it down on behalf of the sheep. Here David is God servant, as a King over them to watch over these people to make sure things go alright.This like we have a pastor that prays for us, And watches over us. Thank you Jesus.
34:30 Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God AM with them, and that they even the house of Israel are my people, sai th the Lord God
shepherds of Israel. Speak in My name and tell those shepherds, ‘The Lord God says, “It is bad for the shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? 3 You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool. You kill the fat sheep without feeding the flock. 4 You have not given strength to the weak ones. You have not healed the sick. You have not helped the ones that are hurt. You have not brought back those that have gone away. And you have not looked for the lost. But you have ruled them with power and without pity.
Lord I know many pastors that only feed themselves and leave the flock fighting for themselves. Sheep that are roaming around hurt, weak, lost, confused, and with pain. Lord help me be a testimony to all the lost sheep that have backslide, hurt, lost, angry, etc. Help me bring them to you Lord, help me guide them to you! Your the only one that can truly heal anything and everything!I thank you Lord for bringing us here to POFW, you healed my family, saved my soul, and now have raised us to go get the lost sheep!! Thank You Lord!
Dear friends, let us love each other, because love comes from God. Those who love are God’s children and they know God. 1 John 4:7
24. And I, THE LORD, WILL BE THEIR GOD, and my servant David will be a prince among my people. I, THE LORD, have spoken!
27. The orchards and fields of my people will yield bumper crops, and everyone will live in safety. When I have broken their chains of slavery and rescued them from those who enslaved them, then they will know that I AM THE LORD.
30. In this way, they will know that I, THE LORD THEIR GOD, am with them. And they will know that they, the people of Israel, are my people, says the SOVEREIGN LORD.
31. You are my flock, the sheep of my pasture. You are my people, and I AM YOUR GOD. I, THE SOVEREIGN LORD, have spoken!” NLT
God is tired of being ignored while they worship idols; and now that He’s finally gotten their attention, He is going to show them who the True God is.
“You have not taken care of the weak. You have not tended the sick or bound up the injured. You have not gone looking for those who have wandered away and are lost. Instead, you have ruled them with harshness and cruelty. So my sheep have been scattered without a shepherd, and they are easy prey for any wild animal. They have wandered through all the mountains and all the hills, across the face of the earth, yet no one has gone to search for them.”
Ezekiel 34:4-6 NLT
In this scripture we have a description of someone who is in a leadership role that has a selfish mindset. We have often heard leaders surrender privileges. And as a leader we must seek God and his kingdom first. We must share the good news to the poor, proclaim captives are set free, that the blind will see and the oppressed would be set free.
““The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free,”
Luke 4:18 NLT
I will make a covenant of peace with my people and drive away the dangerous
animals from the land. Then they will be able to camp safely in the wildest
places and sleep in the woods without fear.
Ezekiel 34:25 NLT
Being obedience to the principles and commitment of are Lord Jesus brings great benefits peace ,Joy, and safety.
iLove the Kingdom
4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
Alot of folks desire God to use them in the gifts of the Spirit. The challenge of today’s society is not the lack of God wanting to heal people, the challenge is somehow folks have come to accept sickness and disease. In the above scripture, the shepherd did not bind up the sheep. It’s time for the people of God to receive what is freely given to them. We the sheep do not have to be sick and diseased…BY His stripes we were healed.
11 For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them.
30 Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord God.
31 And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God.
Thank you Jesus Amen
I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.
Ezekiel 34:16 KJV
Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
Isaiah 43:4-7 KJV
Father, seek out our lost sons and daughters. Heal them of their backslidings. Bring them again from all places where they’ve been driven away. Bind up that which is broken and strengthen that which is sick. Set at liberty that which is bruised and cause them to return unto You. We thank You for all that You are going to do in their lives. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.”
Ezekiel 34:2-3 KJV
Feed the FLOCK!
The flock is hungry folks, are you feeding the Lost with the word of God?
I’m seeing these scriptures as a kick in our bottoms if not. The word of God can literally be brought in every conversation with the right timing. Encouraging someone is what we should be doing. We should be FEEDING THE FLOCK.
My bible says this WORD is as sweet as HONEY. So let’s get this day off with a motive to feed someone the Word in some way!
iBless you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ!
“The orchards and fields of my people will yield bumper crops, and everyone will live in safety. When I have broken their chains of slavery and rescued them from those who enslaved them, then they will know that I am the Lord. They will no longer be prey for other nations, and wild animals will no longer devour them. They will live in safety, and no one will frighten them. “And I will make their land famous for its crops, so my people will never again suffer from famines or the insults of foreign nations. In this way, they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them. And they will know that they, the people of Israel, are my people, says the Sovereign Lord. You are my flock, the sheep of my pasture. You are my people, and I am your God. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!””
Ezekiel 34:27-31 NLT
Ezekiel 34
What Are You Seeking Weary Shepherd
6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.
An old song came to mind this morning……….
What are you seeking weary shepherd. You must have lost your whole flock of sheep. To make you look through the long dark night ore mountain s and through the valley deep. How long will you seek weary shepherd when will this long night be through. You must be searching for perhaps 100 . He said ‘“no I’m just looking for one.
Sheep beget sheep don’t get lost from the fold when a sheep strays.
We must seek after the lost we must reach the wandering. God give us the heart beat of the shepherd to help bring them in the fold.
Each and every sheep 🐑 is so important to shepherd (the pastor )the soul winners. Are we willing to go seek for them. Every night shepherds counted the flock to be sure none had strayed. No one will truly know the heart of a pastor and his wife until you have actually lived their life. You are not just a face in the crowd but a precious sheep in the fold when you begin to stray the shepherd says what could I have done to keep them in the fold. Those who stray will never even think about how the shepherd must feel the sleepless nights the burden he will carry until the sheep is found and sometimes the sheep may have got caught in a picket fence or devoured by a wild animal. If you are a sheep that has wondered you can believe that the Shepherd seeks daily in his mind for you. Don’t be counted as a lost sheep that wandered too far and now has been devoured.
And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid. J. SOLIZ
In this way, they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them. And they will know that they, the people of Israel, are my people, says the Sovereign Lord . You are my flock, the sheep of my pasture. You are my people, and I am your God. I, the Sovereign Lord , have spoken!”
Ezekiel 34:30-31 NLT
GOD love and protect his people he above all none like him
6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.
12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.
15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God.
16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.
God loves His sheep; He calls us and seeks after us, He places a Shepard over us and thank God for our Shepard! But that doesn’t mean we sit back and relax. We are the body of Christ and we have a job to help gather and keep one another. Go find a lost sheep today! Go encourage a fellow sheep!
As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord , my sheep have become prey and have become food for all the wild beasts. There was no shepherd, and my shepherds did not search for my flock, but fed themselves and did not feed my sheep,
Ezekiel 34:8 Net
Okay who’s saying we don’t need a shepherd( pastor).
16 I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak. But I will destroy those who are fat and powerful. I will feed them, yes—feed them justice! NLT
When I read this, I see a shepherd who is personalizing. Some sheep are lost, some sheep are injured, some sheep are weak, and some sheep need a knock on the head to redirect them to follow the shepherd.
As a church, we have many individual needs to impact this region. It isn’t a “one ministry fixes all” concept. This is why we have a variety of ministries to do our best to reach the individual needs. Children’s Ministry will struggle to reach the needs of a recently elder widowed gentleman, same as Men’s Ministry will struggle to meet the needs of a single mom with 3 small children.
POFW is a blessed church. Blessed to have the many ministries to reach the individual needs.
2 Cor 4:15 “All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.”
Today, let’s give God the Glory for blessing POFW with incredible Ministry with such dedicated directors!
Ezekiel 34:11 & 16
11) For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
16) I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.
Yes, we understand that JESUS is the Good Shepherd. He is the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls. He came to seek and to save that which was lost (St. Luke 19:10); He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds (Ps. 147:3); and when we are sick, by His stripes we are healed (Is. 53:5).
BUT He gave us “spiritual shepherd” (Pastor) too.
Ezekiel 34:4, “The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.”
So thankful this is not true of our “shepherd”, Pastor Watts.
Yes, I am going to give Honor where Honor is due today – to Pastor Watts (and Sis. Watts). I have never know such a couple who care for and are burdened for souls. They give so much of themselves (time, talent, and treasure) to the work of God’s Kingdom and to the “flock (POFW)” of which God has made them overseers of. My family and I have been recipients of their care time and time again. They have strengthened us (been there for us), prayed for us and healed us when we’ve been sick, and they have bound us up when we have felt broken. They also have brought back those who have gone astray, and they seek for the lost souls.
Just wanted to take a moment and say “THANK YOU Pastor Watts (and Sis. Watts) for being the “shepherd” God called you to be and for caring so much for us (POFW).
THY KINGDOM COME
FROM SWORD TO SICKLE IN HARVEST TIME
24 And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it.
25 And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.
26 And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.
27 And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them.
We have witness JESUS deal with pride, rebellion and sin. Now we see the heart of GOD and the purpose for judgement. The purpose was to prepare the people for the Harvest. JESUS wants us to recognize that HE has brought us to and presented to us a season of Harvest.
Showers of BLESSING!
GOSHEN!
Revival and Harvest!
Seek FIRST The Kingdom of GOD!
iRepent
iPraise
iPray
iWork
iGive
iReap
iGo
iBlessYouInTheNameOfTheLordJESUS
4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.
I am thankful that God has given my family a shepherd that will lead us to truth and feed us the Word of God without compromise. These people are scattered and lacking but Thanks be to God that he will not leave the people in this manner but He will come to their aid.
25 And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.
26 And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.
27 And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them.
I’m so thankful we serve a God who searched for us and found us, who loved us & sought us before we ever really knew Him. He is the God who will search for the 1 lost sheep, leaving the 99 save ones. His promises show He will give us safety and blessings but we must remain the sheep of his pasture, following our shepherd (Pastor), whether times are good or evil.
Jesus feed your flock and avenge your sheep! “For it is God who avenges me!”…….
16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.
“The God of Jacob is our defense”………
23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.
24 And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it.
25 And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.
26 And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.
27 And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them.
28 And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid.
29 And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more.
God is a God of divine order. Once he set David up to the shepherd and lead the sheep that had been scattered through disobedience, he proclaimed favor and blessings of the Lord upon them.
If we are in the order of the Lord, submitted to God and our leaders, the blessings and favor of the Lord will flow to us.
15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God.
16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.
God takes care of His people he provides for us and makes sure that we are taken care of. He seeks the lost and heals the broken, he strengthens the weak and restores the sick. This is the God that we serve and I am so thankful for him being the Great Shepard.
I Love To Worship The Lord
34:11-16
The passage promises that God Himself will Shepherd his people and also that Messia will be their Shepherd v-23 By implication both the Lord who speaks and the coming Descendant of David are God
“As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, you abandoned my flock and left them to be attacked by every wild animal. And though you were my shepherds, you didn’t search for my sheep when they were lost. You took care of yourselves and left the sheep to starve.”
Ezekiel 34:8 NLT
Have we left the flock starving? It is important that we are fed and continually being refilled with the Holy Ghost, but what good does it do if we keep it all to ourselves? If we are not pouring out to others what we are being fed, we become full and no longer want to be fed. It comes down to this, are we only trying to get ourselves into heaven or are we trying to take someone with us?
17 And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats.
God’s proclamations of judgment turned to the flock itself. Although the leaders were judged for their misuse of power, the flock was not without guilt. The judgment was not between sheep and goats but between sheep and sheep. Israelities who brutally had exploited their fellow Israelites were not going to escape punishment. That fact that Israel had poor leaders did not excuse God ‘s people from their individual responsibilities.
3Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
Thank you Jesus for the Pastor you have placed in my life, Pastor Watts. He watches for my soul and corrects me when I’m wrong.
Let’s GO have Church on this Wednesday night in Jesus name!
As a Shepard seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. 16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick, but I will destroy the fat and the strong, I will feed them with judgement.27 And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them.
27 And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them.
28 And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid.
29 And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more.
30 Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord God.
31 And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God.
I take this as a promise from God to his people. It is his desire that His sheep be taken care off and are provided what they need and are blessed.
You have not taken care of the weak. You have not tended the sick or bound up the injured. You have not gone looking for those who have wandered away and are lost. Instead, you have ruled them with harshness and cruelty.
Ezekiel 34:4 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/ezk.34.4.NLT
When can do a lot of things in His kingdom and serve in different capacities but the one the God cares the most is seeking and taking care of the lost. We must have a burden, passion and desire for the lost. When we find them or encounter them we must be willing to put ourselves aside and care for them. Lets be a help to them and help heal their wounds.
14 I will FEED them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they FEED upon the mountains of Israel.
The primary job of the Pastor is to feed the sheep. Just as the apostles realized they should not be distracted from this, [Act 6:4 KJV] 4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
Jesus also taught Peter this when asking him if he really loved Him, he would feed His sheep 2x and lambs once! We know Peter got the message because he wrote later in life: [1Pe 5:2 KJV] 2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight [thereof], not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
11 For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.
15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God.
16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.
Ezekial 35:23 And I will set up one Shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them. and he shall be their shepherd
John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
I thank God for the Shepherd in my life!
2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
Jesus is the Good Shepard for he laid down his life for all of his sheep which makes him a Great Friend as well. As Jesus talked about a Shepard that is good will feed his flock, and pastor is our Shepard and he feeds us when we come to service because he has seeks the voice of God daily.
ThankYouJesusForMyPastor
IBlessYouInTheNameOfJesus
In this way, they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them. And they will know that they, the people of Israel, are my people, says the Sovereign Lord . You are my flock, the sheep of my pasture. You are my people, and I am your God. I, the Sovereign Lord , have spoken!”
Ezekiel 34:30-31 NLT
The difference between a preacher and a pastor.
The preaching of the word of God is essential to the ear of the believer but the love and care of a pastor or in this scripture a Sheppard is life or death. A good Sheppard doesn’t have to be perfect but he does have to do his job. I’m more than fretful for our Sheppard and our Pastor. He lead us to the water and we drank. He lead us to the food and we ate.
“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?”
Ezekiel 34:2 KJV
We have to feed the sheep! We are the sheep of God, but we who are in the church are shepherds of the new sheep in the field too. We need to be diligent if we are charged with feeding sheep. It is our job to help the sick and broken become we’ll have have the right nourishment.
Prov 21:29 A wicked man puts on a bold face, But as for the upright, he considers, directs, and establishes his way [with the confidence of integrity]. AMP
When we not honest we are always on guard. We have to be sure what we are saying is in line with what we have said in the past. Our actions must represent what we have said in the past also. For example, if claimed to have been raised on a farm but are not able to perform daily farm tasks our lies might find us out. If we claim to be computer geniuses but cannot print a document our actions will reveal the truth.
When we are honest, in what we say and do, we can live confidently as we have nothing to hide. We don’t have to “put on a bold face” because our regular face is that of truth. What a difference in a daily life we could have if only we lived in complete honesty. I have a relative who would rather drive around the block to tell a lie than sit in an easy chair to tell the truth. I cannot figure it out. Of course, I have lied in my life and lived on the edge until either my lies were found out or enough time passed that it was no longer relevant. I cannot imagine living a life that is constantly on guard for what someone might find out about me.
And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.
The people became as sheep without a shepherd, were given up as a prey to their enemies, and the land was utterly desolated. No rank or office can exempt from the reproofs of God’s word, men who neglect their duty, and abuse the trust reposed in them.
9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord;
10 Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.
11 For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
Using clear and condemning imagery, Ezekiel denounces the “shepherds” of Israel (the leaders of the nation), who lead “sheep” (the people of Israel) astray. These shepherds have selfishly used their power and position for their own gain and protection rather than for the good of their flock. They have left the flock without a leader, and the flock is now scattered in exile. God declares that he will himself become his people’s shepherd, gathering them back to himself, and affirmation of the end of the exile and the return of the Jews to Israel (vs 11-16)
As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord , you abandoned my flock and left them to be attacked by every wild animal. And though you were my shepherds, you didn’t search for my sheep when they were lost. You took care of yourselves and left the sheep to starve.(Ezekiel 34:8 NLT)
God explains how he entrusted his people (sheep) to the care of the shepereds. Instead, they have left their flocks of sheep unattended and they themselves followed after there own vanity. Now his people are left to be attacked by the wild animals. The shepherd’s refused to even search for the sheep when they were lost they were not accountable for keeping a look out for the sheep. The shepherd’s were self-centered they only took action in only themselves and left the sheep to starve.